Hope and Despair
by erintheartchick
Summary: Love staggers between the forces of Hope and Despair. What is the true mission on The Guardian? (Re-chaptered 09/17/01 - **New Chapters: 17-21!**)
1. Don't Get the Wrong Idea...

  
"Hope and Despair"  
  
A Sonic and Knuckles fan-fiction series  
Part 3 of the ~Elemental Crystals~ story arc  
By: Erin Lindsey a.k.a. Diamondneko  
  
***Special fanfiction.net chaptered edition!!!***  
  
Legal junk:  
Sonic, Knuckles, Robotnik, Nack the Weasel, Julie-Su, and all related  
Characters are copyright Sega, Archie Adventure Series comics, DiC, and   
Sonic Team. Not me. The idea for the Theresa charcacter was my friend  
Natalie's, but her new design is mine. My characters are: Shelia   
ClearWaters, Clawz Wildcat, Lysander, Hele-Na, Aurora-Sa, all the   
elemental crystal spirits (Kayoss, Ace, Rona, and Venus), Lily Tigera   
(The queen of the Amazons), and Maria ClearWaters. They are All mine,   
mine, MINE! And so is this story. So don't take it without asking. If   
there are any comments, questions, or complications, send them to:  
  
~Erin Lindsey  
erinlindsey@msn.com  
  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
  
  
Chapter one: "Don't Get the Wrong Idea..."  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a cool morning after the long rainy season. The grass was green and lush with  
tiny diamond-like drops of morning dew hanging on the blades. The air was fresh and sweet with  
the smell of the sea. The wind was soft as the Floating Island swept over the ocean on it's  
silent path. Everything was quiet and calm as the serenity of the morning rays fell over   
the edge of the rain forest.  
  
Knuckles Echidna lay warm and comfortable under his own covers, sleeping happily and soundly.   
He blinked, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, and slowly opened his eyes. He yawned   
drowsily. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, then closed his eyes again and sighed contentedly.   
Then, rolling over so his side, he put his arms back around the warm body beside him.  
  
She stirred, blinking and opening her eyes. She gazed at him for a moment blankly, then  
smiled weakly and snuggled into him.  
  
He nuzzled her gently, burying his nose in her silky hair. He took a deep breath. He   
sighed again, feeling an intense feeling of happiness.   
  
She looked up at him smiling. She raised a hand to his cheek and caressed him   
affectionately. He leaned down and kissed her gently.  
  
"Good morning." He whispered.  
  
"Morning..." She purred back softly, "I must have fallen asleep here again last night..."  
  
"I'm glad you did." He said, pulling the covers up to their necks as they lay beside  
each other on the couch. He pulled her close, and stoked her back slowly.  
  
"So am I." She mumbled.  
  
About a month had passed since Knuckles had allowed the Freedom Fighters to set up a   
camp on his island. The compound was almost finished. Homes had been made, training centers, and   
other small buildings had been built not far from the guardian's lair. Fort Acorn, as it had   
been named by Princess Sally, was alive and growing. Many of the younger and un-trained   
residents of Knothole had been moved there for training. Knowing Shelia had the experience in   
gunmanship, Sally had left her in charge, much to Shelia's surprise.   
  
But now, she was not watching her fort. She was busy keeping the company of   
the Floating Island's guardian, much to his delectation. They were happy to be together again.  
  
"What time is it?" Shelia mumbled sleepily.  
  
Knuckles glanced out the window and at the slowly rising sun on the far-away horizon.   
"Still early." He replied.  
  
"Good." She mumbled.  
  
"You can sleep some more," He said, slowly releasing his grip on her, sitting up and   
turning to the side of the couch to put his shoes on. "I'll be right back."  
  
"Where are you going?" She asked, a bit agitated at his departure.  
  
"To check on the chamber." Was his only response as he stood and walked out the doorway   
and into the dimly lit forest.  
  
She sighed and laid back down from her sitting position she had took to watch him leave.   
She pulled the covers up to her chin, and mumbling something about paranoia, fell back asleep.  
  
Meanwhile Knuckles made his way down a beaten path to a small clearing in the middle of   
the jungle. He looked cautiously around before approaching a huge vine covered rock. Taking one   
last glance behind him, he pulled aside a clump of vines to reveal a solid silver panel. He put   
his palm to it and closed his eyes, as if in deep thought. Then, slowly a door appeared in the   
boulder, and opened. He entered and the thick rock door closed behind him.  
  
He walked casually down the crystal lined hallway to a huge sphere-shaped room. The   
walls glittered softly, sending their rainbow prisms bouncing around the room in a brilliant   
display. But this little show was barely noticeable against the awe inspiring contents of the   
room. There, in the middle of the Chaos Chamber, on four metallic pedestals floated an emerald,   
a diamond, a ruby, and an amethyst, all roughly a foot in diameter. They were four beautiful   
glowing gems that held a mysterious power all of their own.   
  
Knuckles inspected them each carefully. He seemed to know every angle, every curve, and   
smooth surface of each jewel. After all it was his responsibility to guard the island and   
the Chaos Emerald, but now he was a bit confused about his duty...  
  
A enigmatic girl had told him something in a dream...  
  
But, after all it was just a dream. And dreams are crazy like that, he tried to convince   
himself. But it all seemed so real... She had been right about the ruby and amethyst... She said   
there were others...  
  
He sighed and brushed the uneasiness away. He gave one last review of the jewels and   
their conditions. 'It's beginning to get cramped in here.' He thought as he moved around the   
Chaos Emerald.  
  
For some reason, the green jewel seemed almost... Distraught.  
  
He shook that feeling off too. 'Emeralds don't have emotions.' He reminded himself,   
before leaving the chamber and starting back to his home and the waiting Shelia. As he neared   
his domicile, he was greeted with the sound of a frantic scream.  
  
He rushed inside at the resonance of this, only to be tackled by the fear-stricken   
female. He practically fell to the floor.  
  
"What's the matter?" He asked with concern, thinking some Dark Legionnaire had attacked   
her or something of that sort.  
  
"Th-there was this -- HUGE BUG!!!" Shelia shrieked.   
  
'Oh brother.' Knuckles thought, as he tried to calm her. "Where?" He asked softly.  
  
She just pointed a shaky hand back at the couch.  
  
Knuckles could see something struggling under the covers. He approached slowly, picking   
up one of her boots to smash it with. Shelia hid behind him. She wasn't usually this skittish,   
but she wasn't used to waking up to insects crawling all over her, either.  
  
Knuckles pulled off the blanket in a flourish, revealing the pest, only to realize right   
as he was about to squash it, that it was a pest he knew well.  
  
"Archimedes?" Knuckles asked in puzzlement, dropping his weapon.  
  
"Knuckles!" The ant yelled, "What in the WORLD is going on here?!"  
  
Shelia was a bit befuddled. "You... Know this... This bug?" She asked Knuckles.  
  
"Yeah, sure." He answered, "This is Archimedes, my um... Teacher, I guess."  
  
"...An ant is your teacher?" She asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well, yeah." Knuckles said.  
  
Everyone was silent for a moment.  
  
"I thought echidnas ate ants." Shelia stated.  
  
Another silence followed.  
  
"Well, er... I did try to eat him once." Knuckles admitted. "He was a bit too spicy for   
my taste."  
  
"Now lets never speak of this again." Archimedes said, resoundingly.  
  
Shelia stared down at the ant. And he stared back up at her.  
  
"Ahem..." Archimedes said, clearing his throat, shooting an angry glance at Knuckles.  
  
"Oh! Oh, yeah. Archimedes, this is Shelia ClearWaters." Knuckles introduced.  
  
"... Nice to meet you Miss ClearWaters." The ant said, trying to be polite as he could.  
  
"Eh, ditto." She said, still a bit confused.  
  
"Now, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" He   
asked, an edge beginning in his voice.  
  
Knuckles stepped in for her. "Erm... She slept here."  
  
Archimedes raised his eyebrows and his mouth tightened. "Is that so?" He said darkly.  
  
Shelia sensed what the ant was thinking, and spoke up. "Mister Aridemis, I think you've   
got it all wrong--"  
  
"That's Archimedes." He corrected, "And I think you both have some explaining to do."  
  
"Archy, I don't think you understand..." Knuckles began, trying to think of what to say.  
  
"Au contraire, Knuckles." He said, "I was a teenager once too, you know. I know what   
goes on..."  
  
Shelia and Knuckles side-glanced at each other, tuning redder than usual.  
  
"...We didn't... I mean umm... Last night, err... Nothing happened." Knuckles   
tried to explain. "We were just sitting there on the couch, and we fell asleep. That's all."  
  
"I'm sure." Archimedes mumbled, still looking a bit unconvinced.  
  
"He's telling the truth, sir!" Shelia defended, although blushing, "I mean, me and   
Knuckles have only known each other for a month or two. I stay here every once in a while, but   
I would never--"  
  
"You mean this isn't the first time you've slept here!?" Archimedes interrupted again.   
"How come you never told me of this, Knuckles?"  
  
"Well, probably because I knew you'd freak out like your doing right now..." He grumbled.  
"Besides you where gone..."  
  
"That's no excuse!" The ant scolded. "What else has been going on behind my back while I   
was away?!"  
  
"Um... Well, the freedom fighters are building a base here... And I found two more gems   
like the Chaos Emerald..." Knuckles said slowly.  
  
Archimedes blinked at him blankly. He covered his face with his hat to hide his anger.   
"I am never leaving your side again..." He muttered.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing scaring Shelia half to death anyway?" Knuckles asked, changing   
the subject.  
  
"I came to give you something. It was dark, and I saw someone asleep on the couch, and   
I thought it was you! Don't go blaming me for all this!" The ant explained, although a bit   
muffled through his hat.  
  
"Bring me something?" Knuckles asked, "Bring me what?"  
  
Archimedes sighed, and slowly took his hat away from his face. "Some books. I thought   
you'd be interested in them..." He said.  
  
"Oh." Knuckles said. "Where are they?"  
  
"On the table." Archimedes mumbled, sitting down on a cushion, looking tired.  
  
Knuckles walked over to the table by the window and picked up the two books. One was a   
thick old leather-bound book that he had never seen before, and the other was a familiar blue   
fettered book with gold embossed writing across the front.   
  
"Hey!" Knuckles said. "This is my book!" He said, holding up the blue one.  
  
"Oh, uh yes." Archimedes said, "I borrowed that."  
  
"Uh huh." Knuckles sighed, "Well thanks for telling me. I've been looking for this."  
  
"What is it?" Shelia asked.  
  
"It's called 'The Story of the Elements' or.." Knuckles began.  
  
"'Blame Chaos'..." Shelia said, reading the sub-title. "Huh. Somehow that sounds   
familiar..."  
  
"What's this other one, Archy?" Knux asked.  
  
"It is the writings of your ancestors, The Scrolls." He answered.  
  
"... The Scrolls?" Shelia asked. "As in 'The Lost Scrolls'?"  
  
"How do you know about The Lost Scrolls?" Archimedes said, eyeing her curiously.   
  
"I have them." She said, "Well, at least I did. I gave them to Knuckles..."  
  
Knuckles pulled the small bundle of browning paper from a drawer in the table and   
showed them to Archimedes.  
  
"Great Scott!" Archimedes exclaimed, "If these are the real thing..." He trailed off,   
hopping onto the table and opening the huge leather book to where some pages where missing. He   
unfolded the bundle of papers and smoothed them out into the gap. They fit perfectly, margins,   
tear marks, page numbers and all. He was flabbergasted. He looked up at Shelia again. This   
pretty fox had more to her than met the eye...  
  
"Hey! Check this out!" Knuckles said, as he examined the other book. "More has been   
written!"  
  
"What?" Both Shelia and Archimedes said in unison. Shelia peeked over Knuckles'   
shoulder while the ant climbed up the back of his chair to do the same.  
  
"It's like this book is re-writing itself..." Knuckles mumbled. "The girl in my dream   
said to read this..."  
  
"Girl in your dream?" Archimedes asked.  
  
"I'll explain later... First I want to figure out this book..." Knuckles said, skimming   
the pages.  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  



	2. History Lesson

  
  
Chapter two: "History Lesson"  
  
  
  
Looking at the beautiful green crystal, glittering and glowing there  
on it's pedestal like a star fallen from heaven, you would never guess that  
it had been the cause of all the chaos. Could such a beautiful thing be so  
deadly? It had a whole island to control, to float easily along the wind, or to  
destroy, letting it crash into the darkness. For a thousand years it had been  
hidden deep within the caverns of Mount Fate, awaiting for it to be found.  
  
For destiny to lead Dimitri and Edmund, descendants of the First   
Guardian, Aurora-Sa, into it's evil trap.  
  
They thought they could use the emerald's power for good, and when  
they accomplished saving the small part of Downunda, now known as the   
Floating Island, from the destruction of the deadly comet, they thought it  
was so. The emerald could be used for good. Or could it...?  
  
Unbeknownst to his brother Edmund, Dimitri had built a device known as  
the Chaos Syphon, which could transfer the power of the Chaos Emerald into  
the body of a living being. Dimitri, drawn in with lust for power and the  
true evil force of the emerald, used the Chaos Syphon on himself. His mind   
became diluted with the essence of chaos, his body gaining the energy. He  
became the evil maniac known as Enerjak, whose cause was only for destruction  
and domination of the entire planet of Mobius.  
  
But, with the help of an unseen force, Edmund was able to trap his  
brother, for centuries, in the catacombs deep beneath the sinister Mount  
Fate, where the emerald itself had once rested.  
  
Taking upon the full responsibility of Guardian, Edmund built and  
developed the Chaos Chamber, and the energy crystals, tiny pink and blue   
chains of stones that grew throughout the island like roots from the chamber   
itself, giving power to the entire island.  
  
For a while, the echidnas lived in peace. But alas, the peace was once   
again shattered. This time, by a group of humans, whom called themselves the   
Overlanders. They aimed to destroy the very existence of the island itself,   
and the thousands of lives of the animals living upon it. The purpose of   
this remained unknown to the echidnas, but they found that irrelevant. What   
was important is that they keep the city and those within it safe. But how   
could they oppose such a strong army of technically advanced beings?   
  
Years, or even decades had passed since the guardianship of Edmund. His  
ancestor, Hawking, now guardian of both the Floating Island and the slowly  
growing city known as Echidnaopolis, created a incredible new invention.  
By using the now forbidden technology as did Dimitri, he created a protection  
device he called the Hyper Zone Protector. It could envelope the entire  
city of Echidnaopolis and transport it to a different time-space plane. Technology   
in all forms had been forbidden by penalty of law after Dimitri had used it to make   
the infamous Chaos Syphon, and the people of Echidnaopolis were terrified at the   
idea of using it once again. But unable to save their people in any other way, the   
council of echidnas decided to let Hawking put this plan into action, but   
only temporarily. When the Overlanders disappeared, they would reappear.   
  
So the small city of Echinaopolis was transported into the safe dimension,   
which later became known as "Haven", leaving the rest of the Floating Island above   
the planet Mobius.   
  
The Floating Island remained peaceful, that is, until about twenty years  
ago. Two new guardians were in training, brothers, just like the now legendary  
Edmund and Dimitri. There names were Locke and Kragok. Their father, Sabre,  
intended to bring the city of Echidnaopolis back to reality on it's rightful  
home on the Floating Island. Now Echidnaopolis had become a massive city,  
using the once thought of evil technology along with nature in some degree  
of a mutualistic environment. In an experiment trying to reverse the   
process of the Hyper Zone Protector, there was a fault, and a mechanical  
explosion, killing Sabre.  
  
The now orphaned brothers now inherited the responsibility as guardians.  
Solely bittered by the death of his father, Locke pushed aside all remnants  
of technology. On the other hand, his brother, more than fully accepted it,  
continuing his father's research. He soon discovered a way to send living  
organisms, small groups at a time, back to the original Floating Island.  
  
Just as Dimitri was lead astray by the evil forces of Chaos, so was   
Kragok. He began enforcing mass technology. He had been increasingly  
distrusted by his older brother after the death of their father. Because of  
his technological madness, Kragok was stripped of his title, and turned   
against from his family. Abandoned, Kragok secretly joined, and became   
leader of a team against his brother, and the guardians after him. They   
called themselves the Dark Legion, using forbidden technology to grow stronger,   
they promised that one day they would awaken their almighty hero, Enerjak.   
  
Locke, now a father, had decided he wanted a life away from technology  
for his son. He used his brother's transporter machine to bring them back to  
the Floating Island, then swore never again to use the evil machine. He  
destroyed what he could on their exit, so no one could use it again.  
  
Kragok however over the long years between, rebuilt it with the help  
of the Dark Legion, and soon broke though. Reclaiming Mount Fate, they broke  
the evil Enerjak free once again to wreak havoc on the Floating Island.  
  
But thanks to the valiant efforts of Locke's son, Knuckles, now a young  
guardian himself, and his friends the Chaotix team, they were able to defeat   
the evil forces of the Dark Legion, and banish Enerjak into the Void, with the   
help of the still unseen force. Defeated, the Dark Legion fled, to remain in   
secrecy until the newest guardian showed a weakness...   
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  



	3. The Name of the Game

  
  
Chapter three: "The Name of the Game"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Kayoss...?" A little voice asked softy.  
  
"Leave me alone." The emerald haired woman hissed, her eyes still closed, pretending to  
be asleep, although everybody knows that spirits are restless.  
  
The small red-head girl continued, unheeding her ill-temper. "Do you wanna play a game?"  
She asked, happily.  
  
"No, I do not want to play a game." Kayoss growled, opening one eye to glare down at the  
grinning girl. As innocent and playful as she might be, Venus was beggining to become a real  
pain the elegant emerald's backside.   
  
"Puh-weese?" Venus asked sweetly, "It'll be fun!"  
  
"I said leave me alone!" Kayoss replied, closing her eye again, and turning around.  
  
"Aww... Oh well. I'll find someone else to play with!" She said, and bounded away to the  
other side of the chamber.  
  
"Good riddance." Kayoss mumbled.  
  
"Hey Ace, will YOU play a game with meeee?" She heard the little girl ask, in her   
sickenly sugar-sweet voice. You could still hear that little trollop loud and clear, all the  
way across the room. Now she was inquiring of the tall white-haired man, Kayoss' mate, as  
much as she hated to admit it.  
  
"Sure, Venus sweetie." He answered calmly.   
  
Kayoss opened her eyes and shot him a nasty glare. Ace just smiled and waved at her. She   
sneered back at him. 'Sweetie?' She thought darkly.  
  
A tall violet-haired woman, draped in black and purple silks, laughed softly behind her.  
  
"What are you snickering about?!" Kayoss demanded, turning and eyeing her viciously.  
  
"Nothing..." She answered, in her dull voice. "...I just find jealousy amusing."  
  
"Jealousy?" Kayoss spat at her, "I am NOT jealous! Especially not over HIM!"   
  
Ace waved again, grinning happily. He was very content to be locked in a cave full   
of beautiful women.  
  
"Whatever you say..." The gothic woman answered.  
  
"Oh, shut your pie-hole, Rona." Kayoss seethed.  
  
Ace returned his attention back to Venus, who was jumping up and down in front of his  
pedestal. He smiled down at her, and patted her on the head. "Now what game shall we play?" He  
asked calmly.  
  
She giggled, "Let's just make it up as we go along!"  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
A single cloaked figure slowly made its way through the thick undergrowth. As she pushed  
aside the thick branches and stepped over rotting logs, a large insect buzzed past her.  
She took a swing at it and missed, causing herself to topple over into a bush.  
  
She uttered a obscenity.  
  
Rising again, she brushed off her black robe furiously. The fact was, that here on  
the Floating Island, getting around was much tougher than she thought it would be. Especially in  
this stupid uniform. For a moment, she thought of throwing it away. But then surely someone  
would find it's remains and know she was here somewhere. Besides, the dark cloth provided  
more than a small amount of stealth, which was something she definitely didn't want to lose.  
She didn't want to risk being caught by that crazy monster that attacked her comrades a month  
ago while she was escaping.  
  
That brought upon another thought. The Dark Legion. For odd reasons, she was beginning to  
miss it. She had been thinking about her brother a lot lately. Deep down inside her she loved   
him, but of course she would never admit that. He had been somewhat of a companion at least, if   
not an annoying one. He had taken care of her when she was young. He had always been a shoulder   
to cry on... But now, she felt forgotten and alone. For a second, she regretted ditching the   
Dark Legion.   
  
Then she thought of Kragok.  
  
But what kind of freedom had she bought? Hiding like a fugitive out in the brush? It   
wasn't the life she had wanted. But it was better than being a slave... Somewhat.  
  
She slapped at another mosquito. "Damn bugs..." She grumbled.  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
"Woah..." Knuckles mumbled, setting the book down on the table. "This is waaaay to weird   
for me."  
  
"Yeah," Shelia agreed, "A book that writes itself?"  
  
"And about Knuckles, no less." Archimedes agreed.  
  
"What does it mean Archy?" Knuckles asked, "I'm so confused..."  
  
"Is that so out of the ordinary?" Archimedes said, trying to add some spice to the   
conversation.   
  
All he got in return was a steely glare from Knuckles.  
  
The ant cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So what were you saying about a   
girl in a dream?" He asked curiously.  
  
"I had this weird vision of this echidna girl, a guardian like me. She asked me what I   
thought of my destiny and told me this weird story about 'trapping the essence of good and   
evil in eight stones'..."  
  
"The Elemental Crystals?" Shelia asked.  
  
"I guess so." He said thoughtfully, "She said that I was supposed to bring them all   
together again..."  
  
"Waaaait a second." Archimedes interrupted, "First off, I want to know how you--" He   
said pointing to Shelia, "--know so much about this?"  
  
"I studied the Lost Scrolls extensively." She said, "I was the keeper of the Love Ruby   
and the Hate Amethyst. My mother and father were keepers."  
  
Knuckles turned to her. "You're father was one too?!"  
  
She blinked. "I didn't tell you that yet?" She said airily, "Yeah, he was. How else do  
you think I got stuck guarding two stones?"  
  
"Euh..." Knuckles said, "I didn't really think about that..."  
  
Archimedes stared at her in surprised. Looking at the pretty female, you wouldn't think   
she had much in her head besides air, but actually she was very mentally sound, although a bit   
emotionally unstable... She was a descendant of two of these 'keepers'...  
  
She sniffled, as if plagued by some bad memory. Knuckles, looking sympathetic put a   
steady hand on her shoulder. She looked over at him and smiled weakly.  
  
Archimedes truly wished he hadn't stayed in Haven all this time researching with   
Knuckles' father, Locke. He always missed all the good stuff. Like, how did Knuckles find   
himself sharing a bunk with this girl? And what of these strange visions? And what exactly   
where these elemental crystals anyway? Suddenly, another question came to mind.  
  
"Knuckles," He asked, "Do you have any idea who this... 'Mysterious girl' in your dream   
represented?"  
  
He thought a moment. "I think she told me her name... It was... Uh..." He struggled to   
remember, "Something with an A... Aurora something I think..."  
  
"Aurora?" Archimedes gulped, "As in Aurora-Sa?"   
  
"Yeah!" Knuckles said, snapping his fingers, "That's it, Aurora-Sa!"  
  
Archimedes stared at him flabbergasted for a moment.   
  
"What?" Knuckles asked eagerly, "Who is she?"  
  
Shaking himself from his stupor, the fire ant regained his composture and spoke, "She   
was the first guardian..."  
  
"But I thought Edmund was the first guardian." Knuckles said.  
  
"He was the first guardian of the Floating Island." Archimedes explained, "Aurora was   
the first guardian of the Chaos Emerald."  
  
Now Knuckles was really confused. "I thought they were the same thing!" He said, frowning.  
  
"No, because you see, the emerald existed before the Floating Island. Edmund, who was a   
descendant of Aurora-Sa, used his power as guardian of the emerald to create the island and   
save it from destruction by the great comet. Thereby becoming guardian of the Floating Island   
AND the emerald."  
  
Knuckles sighed. "I have a headache..."   
  
"Well, your going to have to figure it out." Archimedes said. "You have been blessed   
with a great responsibility. Now you have to find those other four stones that the book speaks   
of!"  
  
"...Blessed?" Knuckles grumbled.  
  
"Yes! Now, tell me what have you learned from these Lost Scrolls?" The ant asked   
enthusiastically.  
  
"Um... Well, I haven't exactly read them yet..." Knuckles admitted.  
  
"WHAT?!" Archimedes exploded.  
  
Knuckles cringed. "Eh, well I haven't exactly had the time... I've been studying the new   
gems, and the helping build the fort, and the organizing the freedom fighters, and uh..."  
  
"...Snuggling with you new ladyfriend?" Archimedes scowled.  
  
Shelia and Knuckles flushed. "Uh..." They both mumbled.  
  
"As I thought." He sighed, "Well, now that I'm here there'll be no more of that..."  
  
"B-but Archy--" Knuckles started.  
  
"WE WILL BE WORKING..." The ant said grimly. "Starting now. Now if you don't mind Miss   
ClearWaters, I wish to converse with my student ALONE."  
  
Shelia glanced at Knuckles.   
  
He gave her an apologetic look.   
  
"Well?" Archimedes said sternly.  
  
"Y-yes, sir." She managed to stammer. It was odd how such a creature so small in stature   
could impend such an intimidating force with just the sound of his voice. Obviously he held some   
kind of power... "I should be going now anyway. The troops need me..."  
  
"Good bye, Shelia..." Knuckles said gently, with a timid smile.  
  
She wanted to kiss him farewell, but decided that wouldn't be good, since this   
ant teacher of his didn't seem to like public displays of affection. She began to back   
towards the door. "I... I guess I'll see you... later...?" She said softly, almost pleadingly.  
  
"Um... How about lunch...?" Knuckles began.  
  
"No." Archimedes snapped.  
  
"...This afternoon...?"  
  
"No."  
  
"...Dinner...?"  
  
"I said no."  
  
"Aw, c'mon! What about tonight? Like eight or something? Surely we'll be done by then!"   
Knuckles begged.  
  
Archimedes sighed. "Fine, fine..."  
  
Shelia and Knuckles celebrated silently.  
  
"Well, I'll see you then..." Shelia said.  
  
"Great... Meet you at the fort..." Knuckles mumbled.  
  
"Bye..."  
  
"Bye..."  
  
Archimedes sighed again. He wondered if he was this sappy when he was a teenager.  
  
  
  
******  
  



	4. Another Journey Begins

  
  
Chapter four: "Another Journey Begins"  
  
  
  
  
Far below and a great distance away in a deep forest, things were not as exciting as  
some would wish it to be. Others were quite content with the unseasonable peace. Others still  
were rather indifferent.   
  
"I just wish SOMETHING would happen..." Sonic grumbled, as he paced the main hall.  
  
"Be careful what you wish for Sonic," Sally reprimanded.  
  
"Now how did I know you were going to say that?" He asked.  
  
She frowned at him.  
  
"Cool yer jets, Spikes." Clawz advised, "Take a load off. Your way over due for some   
real R and R."  
  
"R and R?" Antoine asked.  
  
"'R'est and 'R'elaxation, Tony." Clawz explained, pulling his sun glasses over his eyes   
and leaning back in his chair.   
  
"Fo' once, I think the yankee's right, Sugah-hog." Bunnie said. "Relax a bit. You  
deserve it."  
  
Sonic stopped pacing, but began tapping his foot. "But I don't want to relax! I just  
know Robuttnik is up to something!"  
  
"Sir Charles hasn't reported any suspicious activity." Sally sighed.  
  
"So what?" Sonic retorted, "Just because Robo hasn't been going overboard, doesn't mean  
he's not planning something! Just that he's keeping it quiet."  
  
"We know." Sally said, "We have dozens of bugs hooked to his system, Sonic. If Robotnik  
is up to something, sooner or later we'll find out."  
  
"But what if it's too late?" Sonic said, "We gotta know before he attacks us ya know! We  
should send a team in and--"  
  
"We are NOT risking troops on unnecessary missions, Sonic!" Sally scolded.  
  
He grumbled unhappily, defeated.  
  
"We've all ready lost too many." Sally said softly, "That's why I sent the trainees to  
the Floating Island. So they would be safe and able to get better training. That will help   
decrease casualties. All we can do now is wait until the strategy is in place..."  
  
"I hate waiting." Sonic grumbled.  
  
"Tell us somethin' we don't all ready know..." Clawz snickered, grinning.  
  
Sonic gave him a sour look.  
  
"Well, I'muh going outside ta enjoy this gorgeous day." Bunnie said, standing up.  
  
"Oui. Good idea, mon cherie." Antoine agreed, "Not too hot, not too cold."  
  
"Spring will be here soon..." Sally said wistfully, looking out the window at the pale  
light that shone through the thick canopy and into the hidden valley.  
  
"Good!" Clawz said, "I was getting sick of all that rain and snow crap."  
  
"Yeah, me too!" Tails said, "Hey, Clawz you wanna play dirt hockey with me?"  
  
"Sure, Duce." Clawz said.   
  
Suddenly Sonic kicked the big wildcat's chair out from under him, causing him to fall  
onto the ground with a loud thump.  
  
"Hey! What was dat for?!" Clawz yelled at him.  
  
Sonic just snorted in reply.  
  
Tails took his hand. "You can play too, Sonic." He said.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
Knuckles sat with his nose buried in the combined Scrolls, while Archimedes kept a   
unrelenting watch. Knuckles had been studying for hours now. It felt like years. But it was not   
without some progression. He had figured out part of the mystery...  
  
"So," He said, sitting up straight, "This Aurora-Sa created the elemental crystals to   
protect four spirits of good, and imprison four of evil. There were eight in all."  
  
"Correct." Archimedes said.  
  
"The Good were peace: the spirit of wind, love: the spirit of fire, hope: the spirit of  
water, and life: the spirit of... Well life." Knuckles said. "Peace Diamond, Love Ruby, Hope  
Topaz, and Life Gold..."  
  
"Very good." Archimedes said, nodding.  
  
"The Evil were chaos: the spirit of earth, hate: spirit of lightning, despair: spirit of   
time, and death: the spirit of death..." Knuckles continued. "Chaos Emerald, Hate Amethyst,   
Despair Opal, and Death Silver..."  
  
"You have learned well." Archimedes congratulated. "But still there is much more, much  
that even I did not know. These scrolls have been lost for over five hundred years..."  
  
"That's one thing I don't understand." Knuckles pondered, "Why? Why did I not know  
of anything besides the emeralds before this? Any why are there so many emeralds and only  
one of each of the other gems? It doesn't make sense!"  
  
"Not all history does." Archimedes sighed. "Through these questions we will gain the   
knowledge we need. But now--"  
  
"I get to go see Shelia?" Knuckles asked, eagerly.  
  
His teacher frowned at him. "No. Now we must figure out where the rest of these 'elemental  
crystals' are. You must find them, and bring them back together like Aurora-Sa told you in  
your dream."  
  
Knuckles sulked. "Oh yeah..."  
  
"Well, it says here that when they were created, Aurora-Sa dispersed them throughout  
the world in strategic places, so they would equalize. They each were equal distances apart,  
in eight points..."  
  
"I only know the original locations of two of the gems though. One of them was   
originally in Downunda, where the Floating Island came from, right?"  
  
"...True."  
  
"And one of them was in a desert cave..." Knuckles continued. "Where Shelia's mother's  
ancestors kept it..."  
  
"So..." Archimedes began softly, then letting his voice growing in volume, "If we use  
those two measurements, and split the world into eight sectors using those points... We should   
be able to find the locations of the rest of the gems!"  
  
"Exactly!" Knuckles announced. "Problem solved!"  
  
"Not yet it isn't!" Archimedes said, "Just part of it. We have won the battle, but not  
the war. Now we must figure the placement. What was the location of this desert cave you  
speak of?"  
  
Knuckles thought a moment. "Well, uh... I don't exactly know..." He said softly.  
  
Archimedes fell over.  
  
"But Shelia should know!" Knuckles compensated, "She did live there for a while."  
  
"Do you think she's know the exact co-ordinates, though?"  
  
"Um... Probably not."  
  
Archimedes fell over again.  
  
"But Princess Sally would know!" He said, "All I have to is call her and ask!"  
  
Standing up again, the ant nodded. "Please do, before I give myself a concussion..."  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, dat's not fair!" Clawz whined, as Sonic, using his super speed stole the puck  
from him.  
  
"All's fair in the game of war!" Sonic answered, then shot, and made a perfect  
goal between the two trees.  
  
"This sucks." Clawz mumbled, sitting down on the grass and pouting. "I demand a re-match!"  
  
"Next?" Sonic called, ignoring him.  
  
"My turn!" Tails yelled happily, flying out onto the small field. He landed softly, and  
braced his hockey stick on the ground, ready to take on the world.  
  
"Don't worry little bro, I'll go easy on you." Sonic said boastfully.  
  
"Don't underestimate me Sonic..." The kit said, "I've been practicing."  
  
"Yeah sure, Tails." Sonic laughed, "Now let's get it on!"  
  
Before the puck even hit the ground, Tails was under it. Sonic lunged after him, but  
the young fox flipped the black disc onto the broad side of his stick and flew over him. With  
a quick fluent motion, he tossed it back into the air and slapped it straight into the goal.  
  
Sonic was aghast. He turned and watched as Tails landed again, wearing a smug smile  
of victory. The hedgehog frowned.  
  
"No fair, you can't fly in a game!" He grumbled.  
  
"All's fair in the game of war." Tails repeated with satisfaction.  
  
At first Sonic looked angry at this, but then his expression changed all together. He  
smiled and held up his hand for a high five. "Great job, big guy." He said, "You've beat the  
master. Congrats."  
  
Tails smiled too and slapped Sonic's palm. "Thanks, Sonic!" He said happily.  
  
"Yeah, cool moves, Duce." Clawz said, "For cheaters, you guys is pretty good."  
  
"I think I'll take that as a compliment." Sonic murmured.  
  
"Hey, whatta say we go get some grub, eh fellas?" Clawz suggested.  
  
"Good idea." Tails agreed, "Coming Sonic?"  
  
"Naw. I'm going to wallow in defeat for a little longer." He joked, "I'll see ya later."  
  
Tails laughed. "Okay, see ya!" He said, and he and Clawz began to make their way to the  
mess hall in the center of Knothole.  
  
Sonic sighed after they had left. He threw down his hockey stick softly. His expression  
had turned somber.  
  
"Hey," Sally said, from the meeting hall window where she had been watching. "Are you  
all right, Sonic?"  
  
He turned, a bit surprised by her voice. He walked over to her and leaned against the  
window sill. "Yeah, I guess. It's just that things are changing too fast..." He said.  
  
"But I thought you liked it that way." She said.  
  
"Yeah, but..." He began.  
  
"Not when it's your best friend that is changing?" She finished.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Tails is getting older now Sonic. He'll be a teenager soon. He's going to go through  
a lot of changes. But that doesn't mean you still can't be his friend." She said softly.  
  
"Yeah, I know that." He said, "But he's getting better at everything, not just dirt  
hockey, Sal. He's a smart kid. A whole lot smarter than me..."  
  
Sally studied his face for a while. "And soon he won't be your 'little buddy' anymore."   
She said, "And soon you'll have taught him all you know? Is that what you think Sonic?"  
  
"Well... Pretty much, yeah."  
  
She sighed. "He'll always be your friend Sonic, no matter how old he is, or how old  
you are. He'll still look up to you even though he knows your not perfect. You still have  
a lot of things you can teach him..."  
  
"Like what?" He snorted.  
  
"Well..." She said slowly, "I think it's about time you and he--"  
  
Suddenly a beeping noise interrupted their conversation.  
  
"Hold that thought." Sally said, reaching down to her boot and unclipping her hand  
held computer Nicole. Sonic grabbed it and flipped it open.  
  
"What's up Nicole?" He asked.  
  
"Yo, Sonic." She said in her dull mechanical voice, "Incoming message, from the Floating  
Island."  
  
Sonic frowned. "That dumb echidna again?" He grumbled, "What does he want now?"  
  
"Well, maybe we should ask him and find out." Sally suggested. "Accept message, Nicole."  
  
"Yes, Sally." Nicole droned, her screens flipping, then forming into the image of the  
guardian of the Floating Island, Knuckles Echidna.  
  
"This better be good." Sonic told him fiercely.   
  
Knuckles seemed rather surprised at Sonic's appearance. He had been expecting Sally to  
answer his message. He frowned. "I need to talk to the princess." He said sternly.  
  
Sally tried to grab Nicole from Sonic, but he dodged.  
  
"Anything you can say to Sally, you can say to me, echidna." Sonic spat.  
  
"You wouldn't understand it." Knuckles argued.  
  
"Try me."  
  
Knuckles stared at him for a moment, then launched himself into a very long and   
complicated speech about the geometric circumference of Mobuis as related to the eight points  
of the original locations of each of the elemental crystals, and the importance of calculating  
the projectory in order to figure the homes of the remaining four.  
  
Sonic blinked, then frowning, handed the computer to Sally.  
  
"Thank you." She said, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Shall I explain again?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"No, I think I overhead enough the first time." She said, cracking a smile. "So you need  
the exact co-ordinates of the desert cave, right?"  
  
He nodded. "With that, we can estimate the locations of the other crystals."  
  
"I'll have Rotor get on the calculations right away." She said.  
  
"Thanks, Sally," He said, smiling himself. "You're a life saver!"  
  
"No problem." She said, "So how's the fort coming along?"  
  
"Nicely." He said, "Shelia really is dedicated to helping the freedom fighters..."  
  
"I would think so, since Robotnik killed her entire family in cold blood." Sally said.  
  
"Yeah..." Knuckles sighed, "She still gets upset..."  
  
"I don't blame her." Sally said softly, "But at least she has a great guy like you to  
console her."  
  
Sonic shot her an icy glare.  
  
Knuckles blushed. "Ehh... Thanks... For everything Princess..."  
  
"Your welcome. We'll get back to you with the locations." Sally said  
  
"See ya."  
  
Sally closed the computer gently, and clamped it once again to her boot. She began to  
climb out of the window.  
  
"Were we having a conversation earlier, or was I dreaming?" Sonic said sarcastically,   
helping her down.  
  
"Ha ha." She said, "We can always talk later. I've got to go talk to Rotor now."  
  
"Woah, woah." He said, stopping her, "You saying that ole' dread-head's problems are more  
important than mine?"  
  
She sighed, "Of course not." She leaned over and kissed him on the nose and smiled. "It's  
just that he's cuter than you are."  
  
"You're doing it again, Sal..."   
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
"Hi guys!" Shelia said cheerfully, as she walked into the room, several baskets in hand.  
  
"Hi Shelia." Echoed throughout the room from the trainees and the Chaotix.  
  
"Ready for some food?" She asked.  
  
"Are we?!" Vector said, hungrily taking one of the baskets from her. "What 'cha make fo'  
us this time, Miss CW?"  
  
"Well lets see.." She said, setting the rest of the bundles on the table and fishing   
through them, "There's salad, blue berry muffins, apple pie, sourdough, some noodles,   
sandwiches..."  
  
"Sounds good to me!" Espio said, pulling out a loaf of bread.  
  
"You know Miss Shelia, you don't have to cook for us..." Charmy began.  
  
He was stopped by dark glares from the rest of the ranks.  
  
"Oh, don't worry! It's no trouble!" Shelia said smiling and patting him on the head.  
"I love to cook!"  
  
"And your pretty damn good at it too!" Mighty said, stuffing half a sandwich in his mouth.  
  
"Uh, thanks." Shelia said, lightly. Then she walked off to serve the others.  
  
When she was out of earshot, Vector hit Mighty on the back of the head, knocking the  
sandwich from his mouth.  
  
"Hey!" The armadillo said, "What was that for?!"  
  
Espio answered for him. "Don't curse in front of the lady." He said, nodding.  
  
Mighty grumbled, "All I said was--"  
  
Vector slapped his hand over his mouth.  
  
Mighty pushed him away. "You guys have gone nuts! I can cuss if I want to! It's a free  
island, ain't it?"  
  
"It's improper manners." Charmy said softly, popping a cherry tomato in his mouth.  
  
"Since when have you guys been all prim and proper?" Mighty sneered.  
  
"Since there's been ladies on the island." Espio said, sipping a cup of tea.  
  
"What? You've got to be kidding!" He sneered. "Shelia doesn't care!"  
  
"Yeah, but Knuckles will if he hears you doing it around her." The chameleon warned.  
  
"I'm not afraid of him." Mighty declared.  
  
Suddenly Knuckles walked in and Mighty jumped and fell out of his chair.  
  
"Hi everyone." He said, then looked down at the armadillo on the ground. "What's your  
problem?" He asked.  
  
"Nothing, I just thought I dropped something." Mighty, lied smiling innocently.  
  
"Uh huh..." He said, then turned to Espio. "I used your computer to contact Princess  
Sally, I hope that's all right."  
  
"Sure, Knux, that's fine. But I didn't know you knew how to work it..." The chameleon said.  
He referred to Knuckles' technological illiteracy, caused by being raised without so much as a  
digital clock.  
  
"Well, I figured it out after a few hours..." Knuckles said, a bit embarrassed.  
  
"Want some dinner Knuckles?" Charmy offered, "Shelia made us some food."  
  
"Sounds good, but I think I'll pass for now." Knuckles said.  
  
"Your loss, Knux-man." Vector said, cutting himself a rather large helping of apple pie.  
  
"Where's Shelia?" Knuckles asked. "I told her I'd meet her here."  
  
"She went out back after serving everyone." Mighty said, glumly. He was in a bad mood  
now. While he had been on the floor, someone had stolen his muffin.  
  
"Thanks," Knuckles said beginning to walk off to the back door, "I have to talk to her   
first, but afterwards I need to tell you guys something important."  
  
"Right." Espio said.  
  
Knuckles left.  
  
"Did you hear that guys?" Mighty asked.  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"He's going to talk to Shelia about this 'important thing' first, before he talks to us."   
The armadillo said sourly.  
  
"So?" Vector asked  
  
"So!" Mighty said, "So he thinks she's more important than us! Us the Chaotix!"  
  
"Oh, get over it Mighty." Espio said, rolling his eyes.   
  
"Yeah, Mighty." Charmy said, "Knuckles is happy with Shelia."  
  
"All I'm saying is that Knuckles needs to get his priorities straight. What comes first?  
Shelia or us? The Floating Island or (gag) love? What's so great about some girl, anyway?"  
  
Everyone stared at him for a moment.  
  
"Mighty, have you SEEN Shelia?" Espio said.  
  
"Of course I have. So what?"  
  
Everyone sighed.  
  
"You've never had a girlfriend, have you Mighty?" Espio asked.  
  
"Well, uh... No." He admitted, "What's your point?"  
  
"Just shut-up Mighty, will ya?" Vector suggested.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	5. Risqué Business

  
  
Chapter five: "Risqué Business"  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles exited the small meeting hall where all the trainees and Chaotix had congregated  
for the meal, to find the gentle fox-squirrel sitting under one of the huge tree-like mushrooms  
that were indigenous to the Floating Island. He watched her silently for a moment, smiling. It   
was till hard to believe she had come all the way from Knothole just to be with him...  
  
As if feeling his presence, she turned and looked at him. She smiled too, and stood up  
to greet him with a hug.  
  
He laughed softly. "Did you miss me?" He asked.  
  
"I always miss you." She replied.  
  
His smile widened. He closed his eyes and drew in her scent with a deep breath. Not only  
was she beautiful, a great cook, a dead-eye shot, and a rather cunning and energetic companion   
(although some would disagree with him on the 'cunning' part), but she smelled good too. Like   
the clean earth, and fresh rain on rose blossoms...  
  
He reluctantly broke from the embrace. There were more important things to discuss now.   
  
"Shelia," He asked, "Why did you never mention your father being a keeper?"  
  
She frowned slightly, then looked down. "The truth is," She said softly, "Is that I really   
don't remember my father very well. I just always thought of my mother being keeper of both the  
stones. I was five when he died, and my memory loss..."  
  
"It's all right," He reassured, "It's just that I wondered if you knew where the original   
location of the other gem was."  
  
"I don't know." She sighed, "I just know that the ruby, the one that my mother kept, was   
stored in the desert cave. When my father died, mother took over his duty and kept both of the   
stones together there. I'm sorry..."  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it." He said, putting a hand to her cheek. "We'll figure it out   
eventually. Me and Archimedes have come up with a plan to find the others."  
  
She lit up again. "Really?" She said, "So you intend to fulfil the prophesy?"  
  
"I guess so." He said, scratching his head. "But enough about work... Um, about this   
morning..."  
  
She giggled softly. "Oh, that's okay."  
  
"Archimedes can be a pain sometimes." Knuckles said.  
  
"Don't worry about it." She said, "But I guess I won't be spending the night at your   
place any longer..."  
  
"Guess not."  
  
There was an awkward silence.  
  
"Um... Shelia, you know, uh... When Archimedes accused us of... um, y'know... and you   
said that you slept at my place every once in a while, but you would never... But he cut you   
off?"  
  
She thought a moment. "Yes, I remember."  
  
"Um... Well, did you mean that you would never... uh... well, y'know... with me?" He   
asked, shakily.  
  
It took a second for his question to form a meaning in her mind. After it had   
registered, she looked considerably flustered.   
  
"I mean... uh... Never? I mean, eh, I dunno, I didn't mean... er..." He stuttered,   
thinking that she had been totally appalled by his questioning.  
  
"Um, well..." She began, unsure of how to approach the subject. "I didn't mean never   
ever... Just not after the short amount of time we've known each other..."  
  
"Oh." He said, feeling a slight leap in his spirits. "So you mean, um, in a while, you   
might...?"  
  
She looked down at the grass uncomfortably. "Well, I don't know..."  
  
"Oh." He said, feeling slightly let down.  
  
"I'm sorry..." She began.  
  
"No, no!" Knuckles said, "Don't apologize! I mean, uh, I would never want to pressure   
you into doing something you didn't want to do..."  
  
She smiled weakly. "...Thank you."   
  
"Yeah..." He mumbled, "Uh, well, I need to talk to the Chaotix now about the plan. You   
can come too, if you want."  
  
"All right." She said, happy to get away from the touchy subject.   
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
"Here's the info you asked for, Sally." Rotor said, handing the princess a computer   
print-out. "That's the calculations and coordinates you asked for."  
  
"Great, Rotor." She said excitedly.  
  
"What do y'all need with those, Sally-girl?" Bunnie asked, leaning over the ground   
squirrel's shoulder and examining the paper.  
  
"Knuckles asked me for them." She answered, "These will lead us to the last four   
elemental crystals. We can--"  
  
"Hey, now." Sonic interrupted, "What's all this 'us' and 'we' junk? This is the   
echidna's problem, not ours."  
  
Sally frowned at him. "Sonic, if we can find these crystals, they could give us   
unlimited power. We could use them to fight against Robotnik. You remember how Shelia used the   
ruby to destroy Mecha Sonic."  
  
"Yeah, but I still don't think this is a good idea." He said shaking his head, "We   
shouldn't get involved."  
  
"We all ready are." She insisted, "This could give us the badly needed advantage we need   
in this war, and I'm not going to let it pass me by."  
  
He sighed. "Fine, fine. At least I'll finally get some excitement..."  
  
"Good." She said, and went back to looking over the coordinates. She gasped suddenly.  
  
"What?" Sonic asked.  
  
"Look!" She said pointing to the paper. "One of the original locations isn't that far   
from here! We could get there in less than two days. I have to call Knuckles!" She grabbed   
Nicole from her boot and established a link to the Floating Island.  
  
"Hello?" Espio answered.  
  
"Hello, this is Princess Sally, calling for the Guardian, please." She said.  
  
"Oh, of course your highness!" The lavender chameleon said, "I'll go get him."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Espio disappeared from the screen and returned seconds later with Knuckles in tow. At   
first the echidna looked rather agitated, but his face softened at Sally's image.  
  
"You have the calculations?" He asked, eagerly.  
  
"Yes!" She said happily, "And we can get to the nearest location in no time!"  
  
"Really?" He asked, rather surprised. "That's great! ...You're going there?"  
  
"Of course we are." She said, "These crystals could very well decide the winner of this   
war for us."  
  
His expression hardened. "I don't know about that... I don't know everything about the   
power of these things yet, much less how to control it. You shouldn't--"  
  
"Don't be silly, Knux." Sally practically commanded, "We're all ready in this up to  
our elbows, might as well hold or breath and dive right in."  
  
"...If you say so Princess." He said.  
  
"So we're agreed?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, Sally, but your in over your head now..."  
  
"I can hold my breath for a long time, Knuckles." She said, smiling slightly.  
  
"You're a persuasive speaker Sally." He said, cracking a smile himself.  
  
"We're off, then." She said, winking. She closed Nicole, and turned to the others.   
"Let's get packing!" She said.  
  
"ROAD TRIP!" Clawz yelled happily.  
  
"Oh, boy..." Sonic grumbled.  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
So, the next morning, the Freedom Fighters set out across the Great Unknown, past the   
stinking city of Robotropolis, and towards the location of the mystery gem. The weather was   
dry in the wasteland, and the scenery was even drier. Just flatness and nothingness for the   
eye to see.  
  
Tails had been able to persuade the princess to allow him to bring the Tornado, the now   
repaired and reconstructed bi-plane. Even minus Sonic and Tails who flew together in the plane,   
the hovercraft was rather cramped. Antoine drove, with Rotor in the passenger seat, and Sally,   
Bunnie, and Clawz in the backseat.   
  
Having gotten up rather early that morning, everyone began to nod off around noon. Sally   
yawned as she looked over the map again. The wildcat, who had fallen asleep, was beginning to   
slump over. Bunnie pushed on his side for a moment to keep him from falling on top of her,   
then gave up and leaned against him and put her head on his shoulder. She began to fall asleep   
herself.   
  
Antoine looked into the rear view mirror at them and frowned. What was that half-witted   
wildcat doing snuggling with his lady?  
  
Rotor gazed out the side window absentmindedly. He turned to the front for a moment, then   
went back to the side window. He thought a minute, then turned his head sharply back to the   
front. "LOOK OUT!" He shouted.  
  
Colliding, the two vehicles were sent spinning and rolling, giving the riders a rude   
wake up call. Finally, they landed on their side in the dust.  
  
Coughing, Bunnie opened the door, and staggered out. "What is the hoo-ha happened?" He   
asked, pulling Sally out.  
  
"It felt like we crashed into something..." She said, then surveyed the situation.   
Beside their hover-craft, lay a bight yellow vehicle, upside down.  
  
Clawz crawled out of the back seat of the freedom fighter's craft, carrying Antoine.  
  
"Weel you be putting me down?!" Antoine demanded.  
  
"Gladly." Clawz said, and dropped him onto the ground.  
  
Sally helped Rotor out of the side. "Are you all right?" She asked.  
  
"Just a little bruised." He said, rubbing his arm.  
  
"What about the driver of the other craft?" Sally asked.  
  
The other vehicle shook as the operator kicked the door open and got out and began to   
dust himself off. "Why don't cha watch where you're--" He began, then looked up at them and   
stopped in shock.   
  
There was a long silence, as they just stared at each other in surprise.  
  
"...Nack?" Clawz asked, breathlessly.  
  
The weasel gulped. "Eh, well, nice runnin' inta ya..." He began, turning as if to run.  
  
Before he could though, the bi-plane landed in front of them. Sonic and Tails jumped out   
and ran to the group. "We saw the crash, are you guys all--" Sonic started, but choked when he   
saw the infamous bounty hunter with his friends.  
  
There was another moment of awkward silence.  
  
Finally, Clawz boldly broke it. "What are you doing here Nack?" He asked, expressionless.  
  
The purple weasel shifted uncomfortably. "Eh... I was headin' t'Robo-town..."  
  
"--To tell Robotnik the location of Knothole?" Sally accused.  
  
For some odd reason, Nack seemed incredibly insulted by that. "No, I wasn't. Just a   
reg'lar shipment of parts. Dat's all."  
  
All the Freedom Fighters looked skeptical, except fot Clawz, who was still a bit  
confused by his "big brother"'s appearance. He actually looked rather happy to see him.  
  
"I knew you wouldn't rat us out." He said, practically proud of him.  
  
Sonic walked over to the wildcat and quickly took his arm and lead him away from the  
scene and behind the wreckage.   
  
"Hey, what are ya doin', Spikes?" Clawz asked, "I wanna talk to him--"  
  
"Clawz, think about this!" Sonic said taking the tall cat by the shoulders, "This is  
Nack Weasel we're talking about, bad-guy extrodinaire!"  
  
Clawz frowned. "But he's my bro--"  
  
"No he isn't!" Sonic scolded, "He is the enemy! He took advantage of you, and tried  
to kill you! He LITERALLY stabbed you in the back!"  
  
Clawz flinched. "Yeah, well..." He mumbled, "He didn't mean it..."  
  
"Didn't mean it?!" Sonic yelled.  
  
"You don't know him like I do, Spikes," He tried to explain, "Deep down inside, he's  
a good guy like us... I know it..."  
  
"He tried to kill you!" Sonic argued.  
  
"Yeah, and it ain't the first time."   
  
"...What?"  
  
"Me and him, we've tried to kill each other, like a million times! But ya see Spikes,  
we never actually finish it. Y'know... He stabbed me, so I wouldn't die. On the side in the   
shoulder, you remember. If he really wanted to get rid o'me, he woulda hit right in the spine.  
And he knows how, too. He could never really kill me. There's been plenty of times I've busted   
him up bad too. You know that kink in his tail?" Clawz explained, "I did that to him, when I   
was twelve."  
  
Sonic gaped at him blankly.  
  
Clawz grabbed his arm, "Now come on," He said, "We can't leave him out there with all  
'dem. They might really kill 'im."  
  
So, despite Sally's objections, Clawz persuaded the group to bring Nack along. They could  
"keep a better eye on him", he said. Reluctantly, they allowed Nack to come. Besides, with his  
hovercraft allowed more traveling room. Despite the accident, they were able to reach the   
outskirts of the area by nightfall. She suggested they spend the night there, then venture   
inside in the morning.  
  
"Hey, guys," Sally suggested, "Why don't you gather some firewood and do a bit of   
scouting?"  
  
"What are you going to do?" Sonic asked.  
  
"Me and Bunnie will stay here and set up camp. Okay?" She said.  
  
"Sure thing, L.P.," Clawz said, taking off his sunglasses and putting them on his  
belt. "C'mon guys."  
  
Sonic, Tails, and Antoine followed him out into the swamp. Rotor was busy making more   
repairs on the hovercrafts. Nack lingered around the females for a moment before Clawz came  
back and dragged the weasel with him.   
  
"What d'ya do that for?" Nack asked, rather irritated.  
  
"If your with us, yer gonna help out," Clawz said. "And not ogle the women... Too much."  
He added, with his usual smirk.  
  
Sonic and Antoine frowned at them. It was the weirdest thing, how Clawz and Nack seemed  
to relate to each other now, like old pals, as if nothing had ever happened between them.  
Not at all bitter or angry, but like true brothers. Sonic wondered what their childhood was  
like.   
  
"C'mon guys, Aunt Sally wants us to get some firewood." Tails reminded them.  
  
"Be lookings over here," Antoine pointed, "These branches are lookings the dry-iest."  
  
Nack snickered. "Oui oui," He said, mockingly.  
  
They all moved forward through the brush, until they pulled aside a curtain of vines and  
leaves, revealing a large clearing containing several small waterfalls and about half a dozen  
circular springs. All in which females, of practically every species, were bathing casually  
together. And none of them were wearing any clothes, either.  
  
All five of their jaws dropped. Sonic covered Tails' eyes. For a few seconds, they just   
sat there and gaped, unnoticed. Until that is, Clawz was unable to resist a whistle.  
  
All heads turned to them, and a ear-splitting shriek erupted from the girls. It wasn't  
two seconds before guards had the five of them surrounded.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	6. A twist of plot, please?

  
  
Chapter six: "A twist of plot, please"  
  
  
  
  
Before long, the five guys found themselves tied to stakes, in some sort of prison-like  
straw hut. The females had said nothing to them, just growled fiercely, and locked them up.  
Of course Sonic protested, but it seemed they didn't understand him. All the guards were female.  
In fact, Sonic hadn't seen one single male in their entire village. They seemed to have   
stumbled upon some sort of wild amazon tribe.  
  
"Sonic, I'm scared." Tails whimpered.  
  
"Don't worry, big guy." Sonic reassured, "Sal will come looking for us."  
  
"Soon I hope!" Nack complained struggling with his ties, "This ain't exactly comfortable."  
  
Suddenly, a tall thin tigress, wearing only a black silk wrap around her breasts and   
hips, entered. She had black stripes over her eyes vertically, giving her a rather menacing   
look. She scowled at the group with disgust. Two other females trailed in behind her and bowed.   
She looked back at them, then looked at Sonic and said something in an odd language, too fast   
to be understood.  
  
"Uh... Mind repeating that?" He asked.  
  
She scowled again. Then she turned to one of her attendants. She was a young vixen, with   
short blond hair and a leather skirt and jacket. She had a small yellow cat-like creature on   
her shoulder. The little fox nodded to the tigress, then walked up and stared at the rather   
ragged looking group.  
  
"Hello?" She said, "You speak English?"  
  
Sonic looked incredibly relieved. "Great! Finally someone can understand us!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever." She said, dryly. "Now what were you doing spying on her highness  
an' her court while they were bathing?"  
  
Sonic sweated a little. "Eh, well..." He mumbled, "We weren't spying, we were looking  
for firewood, and kinda stumbled upon them... We didn't mean to intrude..."  
  
"Yeah sure." She said, raising an eyebrow, "Where you from?"  
  
"The Great Forest." Sonic said.  
  
Her other eyebrow raised. "What are you doing way out here?"  
  
"We came looking for something." Sonic answered.  
  
"What?" She questioned.  
  
"Umm..." He said, thinking for a while.  
  
"Well?" She asked, impatiently.  
  
"I... I don't remember." He admitted, unhappily but truthfully.  
  
The fox girl frowned. "How convincing." She mumbled.  
  
"It was something for a uh... Friend..." He continued. "Really, I promise."  
  
She sighed. "Yeah, whatever. Where you traveling with anyone else?"  
  
Sonic's face lit up. "Yes! Yes we were! They're still on the outskirts of the swamp. You  
can go ask them, they'll tell you we're clean!"  
  
"Are your companions males?" She asked.  
  
Sonic was rather confused by this question. "Uh, well one is, but the others are  
both girls. Why?"  
  
Without answering she turned back to the other attendant and said something to her in   
another language which sounded rather oriental. The other attendant nodded, then bowed to the   
tigress and left the room.  
  
"She'll go find your friends and see if your telling the truth." She said. "You'll  
stay here until she returns here with them."  
  
"Thanks." Sonic said, dryly.  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
It seemed to be hours before Sally and Bunnie appeared. Sonic had never been so relieved  
in his entire life. Sure, he could have easily escaped. But he would have to take out the  
guards. And the guards were women. And he didn't hit women. It was unjust, and if Sonic was  
anything he was just.  
  
The first thing he did once he was untied was hug Sally.   
  
"We were so worried about you guys!" She said, rather angrily. "Now why on earth were  
you accused of being 'peeping Toms'?"  
  
They group shifted. "Er... It was an accident, L.P." Clawz said, then added silently  
to himself, and a rather enjoyable accident, too. He turned and looked at the slender tigress,  
who was watching them in grim silence. She was undoubtedly the leader of this group. 'What a   
babe,' He thought, smiling.  
  
"Are y'all all right?" Bunnie asked.  
  
"Oui, mon cherie." Antoine mumbled, "Just a little, how you say, offed ticked."  
  
"Does he mean ticked off?" Nack asked.  
  
Clawz shrugged. "How should I know?"  
  
"Where's Rotor?" Tails asked.  
  
"He's back at the camp keeping watch." Sally explained.  
  
"Good deal." Sonic said staring to walk out of the hut, "Let's go back and--"  
  
Two guards blocked the doorway with their spears.  
  
"Hey!" He said, "What gives?"   
  
"You will apologize publicly to our people now, accident or not." The little fox  
girl said. "Our leader also wishes to speak with your Princess before you leave."  
  
Sonic grumbled. "All right, all right. Just put down those spears all ready, you could  
put an eye out with those things."  
  
Tails laughed at that.  
  
The little vixen turned her spear on him and scowled. "That goes for all of ya. You  
too, little boy." She said, indignantly.  
  
His smile turned to a frown. 'Little boy?!' He thought.  
  
"Come on everyone," Sally instructed, "Do what she says."  
  
"You better." She said huffily.  
  
"Look kid, if you're gonna get off bossin' us 'round, you might as well tell us  
yer name all ready." Nack requested.  
  
She thought a moment. "Why not... M'names Maria. Maria ClearWaters."  
  
  
  
******  
  



	7. A Little Bit of Confusion

  
  
Chapter seven: "A Little Bit of Confusion"  
  
  
  
  
"Yo, hold up!" Clawz said, stopping the little fox in her tracks. "You're Maria... Who?  
  
She frowned, very agitated by this. "What, are you deaf er somethin'? ClearWaters.  
Maria ClearWaters." She growled.  
  
"ClearWaters?" Sally said, making sure everything was clear.  
  
"Yeah..." Maria said, getting confused. "Are you people nuts or something because--"  
  
"Are you in any way related to a certain, Shelia ClearWaters?" Sally asked.  
  
Maria's angry expression melted off her face and was replaced with one full of horror.  
"Shelia... Shelia ClearWaters...?" She mumbled.  
  
"Yeah, do you know her?" Sonic asked.  
  
"She... She was my sister...," She said weakly.  
  
"Sister?" Tails asked in confused. "I didn't know Shelia had a sister."  
  
"You know her?" Maria asked, "Shelia... Is alive?"  
  
"Yeah..." Clawz said, "But she said all her family was dead."  
  
"There is no record of any other family members in Nicole's files except that of her  
father, mother, and older brother..." Sally said, unclipping her hand-held computer from her  
boot and turning on the power switch.  
  
"Well, why would I lie about who my sister is!?" Maria defended, "Where is she? Is she  
with you? Can I see her? How do I know you're telling the truth, anyway?"  
  
"Why would we lie about that?" Sonic asked.  
  
"I don't know! Where's my sister?!" She growled, rather fiercely for fox no older   
than eleven.  
  
"Look, calm down kid!" Nack said, "You ain't the only one confused here."  
  
"Wait uh second..." Bunnie interrupted, "Ah remembah, back when Shelia just regained  
her memory... She told us that story 'bout her past. She said that when they fled Mobo-city,  
her momma was pregnant..."  
  
"That's right!" Sally exclaimed. "I forgot! That explains why there is no record of  
you in Nicole's files. She only holds the information about beings that existed before the  
take over by Robotnik. Maria was born after that!"  
  
Maria blinked. "Yeah, I was born in the desert. How'd you know that?"  
  
"Like Ah said," Bunnie stated, "Shelia told us."   
  
Maria was silent for a moment. "... C-can I see her?" She asked softly.  
  
"She ain't here," Clawz informed her. "She's on the Floatin' Island."  
  
"The Floating Island?" Maria asked, frowning again. "You people are crazy! That's   
just a dumb myth!"  
  
"Let's just be glad Knuckles wasn't here to hear you say that..." Sally said.  
  
"Who?" Maria asked, confused again.  
  
"Knuckles Echidna. He's the guardian of the Floating Island."  
  
"The... Guardian?" Maria repeated. "You mean the one of the legend?"  
  
Sally blinked. "Uhh... I don't know about that..."  
  
"Look, just get me my sister back... Or... Or else!" She growled.  
  
"Or else what?" Tails confronted.  
  
She stuck her spear in his face.  
  
"Oh yeah..." He mumbled, stepping backwards.  
  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
  
He sighed softly, gazing up and the pale sapphire-blue sky above him, as it stretched  
across the globe and disappeared over the horizon. His mind rested. He felt mentally exhausted,  
after all that reading, and deciphering, and calculating... All he wanted to do now was just  
to sit, relax, and feel the cool breeze wash over him. He wanted to think nothing of his duty or  
his burdens, to just lay there and feel the wind and the sun and the grass.  
  
Yesterday had drained him. Way too much explaining had gone on. Both by him, and by others  
to him. But it was gone now, and all he could do was sit and wait for the princess to bring him  
news if the gem was still in it's original location, or if even their calculations were truly  
correct. One mistake in the string of numbers could...  
  
He drove mathematics from his mind. No math. Not now. He was trying to relax. He hadn't  
slept well the night before, and now was a perfect time to catch a quick nap, before his  
responsibilities flooded over him once again. Thinking of equations oddly enough, woke him up  
rather than put him to sleep. He turned his mind to softer, more comforting things. Such as a  
certain pretty red vixen. He closed his eyes and smiled as he pictured her. One thing that  
had kept him from sleeping last night had been her absence. He had gotten so used to falling  
asleep in her warmth. But noooo, Archimedes had to step in and spoil everything. Some thing,  
some one just had to always step in and...  
  
But his mind had drifted. He frowned, trying to picture her again, and only her. Just  
her and her warm emerald eyes, soft chestnut curls, and gentle feminine curves. There. Muuuuch  
better.  
  
He heard something stir in the brush behind him. He sat up, his muscles tensing. Ever  
since there had been newcomers on his island, it made him become incredibly paranoid. It was  
like he could feel an odd presence. It was almost like the gems were telling him that someone  
was here that didn't belong.  
  
"Who's there?" He asked to the forest, darkly.  
  
"Knuckles?" Shelia called softly, stepping out of the undergrowth.  
  
He relaxed. "Oh, it's just you." He said, relieved.  
  
She frowned slightly. "Just me?"  
  
He stood up. "I didn't mean it like that," He said, "I've just been getting bad vibes  
lately. It feels like there are intruders..."  
  
"You think of me as an intruder?" She asked, still frowning.  
  
"No, no." He said, stepping towards her and taking her hand, "I want you here."   
  
"Oh?" She said smiling coyly.   
  
"Yeah. I like having you here Shelia." He said, "It's just gonna take me a little while   
to get used to all the others..."   
  
"I guess that'll do." She said, accepting this excuse and allowing herself to be  
drawn into a warm embrace.  
  
"I'm really glad we can be together," He said softly, "Even if it means using my  
island for a 'freedom fighter play ground'."  
  
She frowned up at him.  
  
He winked. "Just kidding. You know I'm as dedicated to stopping Robotnik as you are.  
He's almost killed me, not to mention almost sinking my entire island, more than once."  
  
Her frown melted again back into a smile. "Yeah... I just wish our being together  
could be under better circumstances. I mean if Robotnik had never killed my family," She said,  
her eyes beginning to tear up, "I would have never met you and sometimes... I just feel a little   
guilty enjoying our relationship..."  
  
"Hey," He said reassuringly, "You family would want you to have a happy life. Just  
because they're gone, doesn't mean you have to be sad all the time. You don't have to forget  
them either, but just try to remember them in the good times instead of the bad... And... And...  
And I've run out of philosophical things to say."  
  
She giggled softly, wiping away a tear. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry about all this  
crying all the time, it's just that I get so worked up and--"  
  
"Don't apologize, Shelia," He interrupted, "I don't mind. I know it's hard for you  
right now. Just remember that I'll always be your shoulder to cry on..."  
  
She smiled weakly and hugged him. "Yeah..."  
  
"C'mon," He said leading her over to a small cliff overlooking the island's edge. "Come  
and sit with me and watch the sunset."  
  
Her smile broadened. "Okay..." She sniffed. As she actually realized how close to the  
edge he was taking her she squeezed his hand.  
  
He stopped and noticed her fear. "Oh, don't worry." He said, "C'mon, just sit right   
here and hang your feet off."  
  
"A-Are you sure?" She asked, frightened, "We're awful high up..."  
  
"Positive." He said sitting down and dangling his legs over the ledge, and patting  
a space beside him.  
  
"All right," She said shakily sitting down, "But if I fall and die, I'm gonna kill you."  
  
He laughed. "Don't worry," He said putting an arm around her. "I won't let you fall."  
  
She looked down. "Oh... Woah..." She whimpered, clutching onto him tightly. "W-we   
really ARE high!"  
  
"Isn't it great?" He asked happily, "You can see for miles around up here."  
  
"It's kinda like sitting on top of the world..." She whispered in awe.  
  
They sat in a contented silence for few minutes, not needing any more words. It felt  
good not to speak for a while, just still in the warm air and hold each other and watch the  
ground below slip under them. From above, you could barely tell Mobius was a planet at war.  
Up there it just seemed so beautiful and peaceful.  
  
Shelia sighed finally, "I really love it here."   
  
"Do you really?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"Of course I do." She said looking up at him. "Up here I have practically everything   
I've ever wanted..."  
  
"Yeah?" He mumbled, his eyes glazing over slightly. The fact was he hadn't heard a word  
she said. The moment she looked up at him he became lost in her sparkling green eyes.  
  
"Yeah." She said softly, touching his face gently.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked again, dreamily.  
  
She laughed. "Yeah."  
  
"Yeah?" He asked, for the third time.  
  
She laughed again, and leaned up and kissed him.  
  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
"WHAT?!" Locke cried in astonishment, as Archimedes recounted him the findings of the  
morning, specifically the event of him bursting in on Knuckles and Shelia's "slumber party".  
  
"Now, now sir!" Archimedes pleaded, trying to calm his master. "They both tell me that  
it was purely innocent..."  
  
"Innocent, my foot!" Locke growled, "When a boy of Knuckles' age has a girl spend the  
night with him, it's on the grounds of something far from innocence!"  
  
"Sir, come now. Knuckles is a well brought up boy, and he knows his moral limits set  
as a guardian..." Archimedes began.  
  
"Hmmph." Locke snorted, "You forget how morals are often forgotten when there are   
hormones involved."  
  
"Look sir, I'm practically positive that... Nothing transpired between them beyond  
that of a bit of harmless romance." The ant defended. "I did not perceive the  
female to be eh, 'that kind of girl'."  
  
"Oh?" Locke said, his interest growing. "Romance eh...?"  
  
"Knuckles seems very attached to her at least. I haven't exactly confronted him about   
the seriousness of the relationship as of yet..."  
  
"What did you say her name was?" The elder echidna asked, leaning back in his chair   
slightly.  
  
"Shelia ClearWaters, I believe master..." Archimedes said. "I find her a quite pleasant   
girl actually. Physically attractive, I would venture to say. A hard worker, too, and a mighty   
good cook if I don't say so myself."   
  
"Shelia..." Locke mumbled thoughtfully.  
  
"Oh, and I think Knuckles could definitely benefit somehow from the relationship,   
considering her origins."  
  
Locke raised an eyebrow. "Explain." He said simply.  
  
Archimedes cleared his throat. "You see Master, Ms. ClearWaters is a descendant of two   
of the original keepers, whom Aurora-Sa gave one of the eight crystals to attain the balance..."  
  
"Fascinating." Locke mumbled, staring at the ceiling as he thought. "What is she?" He   
asked absentmindedly.  
  
"Pardon, sir?"  
  
"I mean, what species is she? This girl. What kind of animal?" Locke clarified.  
  
"Oh, well..." Archimedes said unsure, "To tell you the truth Master, I don't know. She   
seems to have very vulpine characteristics, but not the distinctive white tail tip. Her features  
aren't as sharp as a fox's either. I suspect that she is a hybrid of some sort."  
  
Locke's frown deepened. "Ah." He grunted.  
  
Archimedes was silent a moment as he studied his master's reaction. "You... Disapprove?"   
He asked finally.  
  
Locke closed his eyes. "I'm not sure."  
  
Archimedes sighed softly and bowed his head. "Do you wish for me to speak to Knuckles   
about this subject?" He asked solemnly.  
  
Locke didn't answer for a few seconds. "Not yet," He concluded finally, "Not until we're   
sure of the severity of the case. Just have him continue studying The Scrolls and the book, for   
now. And I would ask if you would question him on his feelings for this girl... If we can stop   
it before it starts, we would save him a lot of pain..."  
  
"Yes sir." Archimedes said slowly, frowning slightly.  
  
"Go now." Locke said, waving his hand and swiveling around in his chair so his back   
faced his comrade. "I want to be alone to think."  
  
"Yes sir." Archimedes repeated, and disappeared in a small puff of smoke.  
  
Locke sighed grimly. So his son was in love, huh? And with a hybrid at that. Poor boy,   
he thought sadly. He too has fallen into their trap. Well, it had to happen sooner or later.  
Locke preferred later. Even though Knuckles didn't know it, he was still in his apprenticeship  
stage, and he lacked development of a full-fledged guardian. Although, Locke had to admit, his  
son's abilities all ready far surpassed his own, he was not ready to take on his destiny as  
Aurora-Sa's reincarnation. He had the spirit for it, just not enough knowledge yet. He was  
learning quickly though. Now, Locke feared, his learning would be impaired by his attachment  
to this female.   
  
He sighed again, remembering how he felt when he was his son's age about  
Knuckles' mother. He frowned slightly. Back then, he she had been all he could think about.  
It wasn't until they were married and Knuckles was born when he realized how much he had been  
denying his duty. He closed his eyes again. Then when she couldn't understand his obligation,  
she left. Knuckles was still just a baby then. He remembered next to nothing of her. She had  
wanted to take him with her, but of course the fates ruled in Locke's favor, as Knuckles was  
to be trained as the next guardian. Unable to cope with the emptiness of the home in   
Echidnaopolis, Locke broke through Haven's shield and took his son to live on the outside on  
the real Floating Island. Knuckles thought his mother was dead. Knuckles thought Echidnaopolis  
was destroyed. Knuckles thought he had abandoned him...  
  
  
Slowly, Locke bent down and buried his face in his hands.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
The wind blew softly through the fronds of the damp trees, creating a cool breeze. Mixing  
with the hot fumes from the dozens of clean sulfur springs in the thick swamp, the wind pulled   
a warm mist into the air. Despite the slightly wet ground underfoot, the area far east of   
Robotropolis was very beautiful. And the company wasn't exactly that bad either.  
  
"Ladies, ladies! How about you and me, go out back and--" Clawz said, grinning his   
ever-present grin, and putting his hand somewhere where it didn't belong. Namely on the leg  
of a pretty gray-furred squirrel femme.  
  
He was instantly smacked over the head with a large, cherry blossom-painted fan.  
  
"HENTAI!" She screamed, then ran off to the other side of the clearing.   
  
"Heh, heh. You d'served it Yankee!" Bunnie laughed.  
  
"Shut-up, 'Usagi'..." He grumbled, rubbing his head.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She growled, shaking her metallic fist at him threateningly.  
  
"UsagiUsagiUsagiUsagiUsagiUsai..." He chanted, teasingly.  
  
Before Bunnie could clobber him, Sally stepped between the two. "Cut it out you guys,"   
She scolded. "We've got a big problem here."  
  
"Tell me about it." Sonic grumbled. "What are we going to tell their queen about  
how we just stumbled upon them taking a bath? They didn't believe me earlier!"  
  
Sally turned and frowned at him. "I was talking about our problem with Shelia's  
sister." She said, "But about that. Don't worry, I'll be able to talk you guys out of that.  
I think they'll believe me."  
  
"Why would they believe you over me?" He asked, rather huffily.  
  
"Well, for one Sonic," She said matter-of-factly, "I'm a Princess. And secondly I'm  
a female."  
  
"What does you being a female have anything to do with anything?" He asked.  
  
"Well, if you haven't noticed, this whole tribe is made of females." Sally said.  
  
"Yeah." Sonic returned, "So what?"  
  
"Sonic..." She grumbled growing agitated, "If my research of the many types of Mobian  
civilizations serves me right, they're Amazons. Female warriors. They practically hate males.   
They almost think they're evil."  
  
He blinked. "I knew that."  
  
"Sure you did." She sighed.  
  
"So you're saying... There's not one guy in this entire group?" Clawz asked.  
  
"Nope." Sally answered.  
  
"Woah." Nack said grinning, "Bunch of girls livin' together, with no guys at all...   
That's kinda kinky don't ya think?"  
  
Clawz laughed. Everyone else gave him dirty looks.  
  
"I don't like it here Aunt Sally..." Tails whined.  
  
"Don't worry," She reassured, "We'll be out of here once everyone apologizes to the  
queen and I ask her some questions."  
  
"What about the little fox chick?" Clawz asked. "Don't cha think we should call up  
Shelia and tell her?"  
  
Sally looked unsure. "I don't know. I'm afraid of how to tell her. I'm afraid of how  
she'll react... You know, after her accident."  
  
Bunnie nodded. "That's right." She said, "We don't want her goin' inta anuder one uh  
her faintin' spells."  
  
"Well we have to tell her sometime!" Sonic said. "It might as well be now."  
  
"You're right." Sally said, pulling Nicole from her boot, "I'll call the Floating  
Island right now and tell her to come down. You guys go find out anything you can about the  
'elemental crystal' Knuckles is looking for."  
  
"Oh yeah..." Sonic said, "That's what we came out here for..."  
  
Sally gave him an odd look before walking off, back inside the hut to set up the   
mini-computer's satellite messenger. In Knothole it wasn't necessary, because Nicole had a   
wireless hookup to the satellite in Rotor's workshop, but out here, that was out of range and  
Sally had to use the portable one.  
  
"C'mon guys," Sonic suggested, "Let's split up and snoop around. Me, Clawz and Nack  
will go right, and Bunnie, Antoine and Tails will go left."  
  
"Aye aye mon capeetan," Antoine said, saluting. He turned to leave, Bunnie and Tails  
following him them stopped and turned back. "You ess telling us to go left, right?" He asked.  
  
"Right." Sonic said.  
  
"Oh, so we go right?" He asked.  
  
"No, no. You go left." Sonic corrected.  
  
"Right, left." Antoine said, then began heading right.  
  
"No, Ant!" Sonic stopped him, "You're supposed to go left!"  
  
"I thought I was going the right way!" He said.  
  
"No! The right way is left!" Sonic said.  
  
"What?" Antoine asked, frowning. "I am theenking you ess a little mixed uped, Sonique."  
  
Before Sonic could strangle the French fox's accent out of him, Clawz intervened.  
"Just go that way, Tony." He said, pointing down the path to the left.  
  
"Merci Monsuire Wildcat, finally someone with a senses of directions." Antoine said,  
then turned and marched down the path with Bunnie and Tails following him with silent smiles  
on their faces.  
  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	8. The Power Within

  
  
Chapter eight: "The Power Within"  
  
  
  
  
"Princess?" Shelia asked, appearing on Nicole's screen. "Y-you asked to see me?"  
  
"Uh, yes." Sally answered.   
  
Shelia seemed rather flustered. She glanced back at Knuckles beside her, who was   
giving Espio, a very dark stare.  
  
"I wish for you to come to the mainland." Sally said decisively.  
  
"Back to the ground? What for?" Shelia questioned.  
  
Sally noticed that Knuckles began to pay more attention to the conversation when she  
mentioned Shelia leaving. She cleared her throat. "Well, I'd rather tell you in person." Sally   
tried to explain, "But it's very urgent, and I wish for you to come as soon as possible."  
  
Shelia looked pained. "Is it an emergency?" She asked. She seemed reluctant to leave  
her newfound home on the island.   
  
"Yes, it is." Sally said. "You can take one of the hovercraft's we left on the island  
for the troops to get here. I'll transfer you the coordinates."  
  
"Excuse me Princess, but ah..." Knuckles mumbled, "Did you find anything yet? About the  
stones or its existence?"  
  
She blinked. "...I have a lead, but I'm not sure. I would suggest, that if possible,  
you could come down with Shelia also. I have an idea that the keeper of this stone will need  
some convincing before they hand it over, and you're just the guy to do it."  
  
"Right then," Knuckles said, picking up the print-out of the directions Sally had sent,  
"With the hovercraft it should only take us a few hours. We'll be there, A.S.A.P.!"  
  
"See you then." Sally said, and disconnected.  
  
Knuckles turned to Espio. "Shelia and I are going to the mainland, but will return  
momentarily. I want you and the Chaotix to keep watch while I'm gone. You can contact us through  
the communicator in the hovercraft if you need to." He said.  
  
"Right." Espio said, although frowning. "Don't be gone long. You know what happened last  
time you took a 'vacation'..."  
  
"I know, I know." Knuckles reassured. "I will only stay as much as a night, if needed.  
I know that I can't neglect my duty like I did before."  
  
"Good." Espio said, relieved.  
  
"We better get going if we're going to get there before dark." Shelia said, quietly.  
  
"Right." Knuckles said, putting his arm around her waist. "Let's go."  
  
They walked together down the path from Rainbow Valley towards Fort Acorn and the Land's   
End, where the mini-hovercrafts were stored. Knuckles looked over at his companion, and   
frowned slightly, seeing her confused expression.  
  
"Are you all right, Shelia?" He asked, nudging her cheek gently with his nose.  
  
"Oh, yes of course..." She mumbled, "I was just thinking... What did happened here while   
you were in Knothole with me?"  
  
"Well..." He mused thoughtfully, "The island was attacked by a group of mecha-echidna   
radicals called the Dark Legion. For a while now, they've been trying to take over the   
Floating Island, saying that it was rightly theirs and the 'Great Dimitri's'... All history  
now. Anyway, they attacked while I was away... And when I returned to the island... Something  
weird happened..."  
  
"Oh?" Shelia asked, growing more interested. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't remember much..." He said, trying hard to think. "I remember landing on the  
island, and feeling really angry. Then this black electric light from the back of your locket  
seemed to swallow me... And then things went black and I had the dream about the girl. When  
I woke up, the entire legion had been defeated. The Chaotix said that I did it somehow, but  
I don't remember a thing."  
  
During his description, Shelia's eyes grew wide as saucers. She stopped walking and  
stared at him, as if horrified by something.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, when she abruptly stopped.  
  
"The black light from the back of my locket... You mean when it still had the amethyst  
in it... Oh Knuckles, you... You let it possess you?" She asked, almost shaking.  
  
"Um well..." He mumbled. "Is that bad?"  
  
"BAD?" She practically yelled, "Of course it's bad! Letting the spirit of hatred engulf  
your body is considered suicide! An ultimate form! No one has done so and lived!"  
  
He blinked again. "R-really?" He asked, suddenly feeling shaky himself.  
  
"As long as you're all right..." She said, softening her voice. "Just don't ever do it   
again, okay?"  
  
He nodded vigorously.  
  
"Well at least you didn't use chaos' power..." She said, beginning to walk again. When  
she saw that he wasn't starting again also, she stopped and stared at him.  
  
"... Well, actually..." Knuckles began, rubbing the back on his head.  
  
Shelia's eyes got wide again. "You mean you HAVE used the emerald?!" She asked, in horror.  
  
"Well, um... Yeah..."   
  
"Good god! How...? How...? Oh my god!" She stuttered.  
  
"I don't understand. It didn't hurt me..." Knuckles said, "What is so wrong about using   
the power of the emerald, or the amethyst for that matter, to do good?"  
  
She took his hand. "Knuckles, listen to me when I say this... The gems of the dark side,  
the emerald in particular, are incredibly dangerous. No good can come of them. Using their  
power only weakens the seal. If it were broken... I don't even want to think of what would  
happen..." She explained, her voice growing dark. "Just promise me, promise on whatever you  
hold sacred, on my heart, that you will never use their power again on yourself. NO MATTER   
WHAT."  
  
Her sudden dark tone frightened him. She was usually so light and cheery. He paled  
slightly but nodded. "I... I promise, Shelia. I promise." He stuttered.  
  
She sighed, relieved. "Good." She said, smiling again and hugging him.  
  
"I... I never knew that it was dangerous..." He said, still a little confused, but  
returning the embrace anyway.  
  
"It's okay..." She said, "I'll explain more on the way."  
  
"Right." He agreed. "Let's go. Where's the hovercraft?"  
  
"It's hidden, here in the cave." She said pointing to a small alcove under a cliff on  
the edge of the island. The walked in and were met with a guard.  
  
"Who goes there?" He said, sticking a laser pistol in their faces.  
  
Knuckles put his hand on the barrel and pushed it away. "Is that any way to talk to  
a Guardian, freedom fighter?" He growled.  
  
"Oh, sir, I'm sorry..." The guard stuttered.  
  
"It's all right, private. You were just doing your job. Just watch where you point  
that thing okay?" Shelia said, frowning slightly at Knuckles.  
  
"Oh yes ma'am, Commander ClearWaters, of course." The boy said, seeming now his true  
age of several years younger than Shelia and Knuckles. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Quite all right." Knuckles said, somewhat sarcastically.  
  
"Carry on, private. We've just come to use the vehicle."  
  
"Of course ma'am. Here's the activation device." He said, handing her the keycard.  
  
"Thank you." She said, and walked deeper into the cave until they met with a small  
red spherical hovercraft in the very back. They stopped and stared at it for a minute. She   
began to cross in front of it and get in the driver's seat when he stopped her.  
  
"I think I should drive." He said.  
  
She frowned again. "Oh? Why is that?"  
  
"Well..." He said, thinking a minute, "Eh, err..."  
  
She sighed. "Fine, fine." She said rolling her eyes. "Drive. Be a macho man."  
  
"Woo hoo!" He said happily, hopping into the front seat. Shelia opened the other door  
and crawled in beside him into the passenger's seat. He grinned at her. "Better buckle your  
seat belt!" He said, then pushed down the accelerator pedal as hard as he could.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"Hey! What's wrong with this thing?" He asked, confused.  
  
"Ahem..." She said, handing him the keycard, "You have to start the motor first."  
  
He took it sheepishly. "Oh yeah..."  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
Sonic crept slowly among the wilted trees, following Clawz and Nack sneak around the  
edges of the Amazon village. At first he had led them, but eventually they had taken the lead.  
He was surprised how they seemed to work together, soundlessly. They were in their element.  
Sonic hated to admit it, but the wildcat and weasel did make a good team. Suddenly Clawz  
stopped, and behind him the weasel halted, causing Sonic to almost run into his back.  
  
"What's up?" Sonic asked quietly.  
  
"Shh!" Nack growled in a harsh whisper. "Somethin' up ahead."  
  
Sonic frowned at him. So now he was taking orders from this guy? No way! He'd definitely  
have it out with him later. For now though, he was silent, and squinted through the brush  
and into the clearing ahead of them.  
  
Clawz's ears were flattened against the back of his head, as he laid low in the grass  
watching intently. It was that sexy tiger again... Their queen. Yeah, very nice legs... But what   
the hell was she doing?  
  
The queen sat in lotus position the center of the clearing, all alone, mumbling  
softly to herself. Her eyes were closed, the stripes down them and her long black lashes   
creating almost a star formation. Suddenly, from the small steaming pool in front of her, a  
shining opalescent crystal arose and floated before her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and still  
chanting, she reached forward, and plucked the fist-sized opal from the air. Then, standing up  
and looking cautiously around the small clearing, she left.  
  
After a few silent minutes the three guys, thinking it safe, came out from hiding.  
  
"Woah!" Nack said, excitedly, "Didja see the size uh that jewel?"  
  
"I think that's exactly what we're looking for..." Sonic said.  
  
"And the tiger babe's got it." Clawz said, "I bet'cha nothing she ain't just gonna  
give it to us."  
  
"Well, we just swipe it then!" Nack suggested, grinning broadly. "Just like we swiped   
the diamond from them wolves!"  
  
Sonic raised an eyebrow. "...What?"  
  
Clawz looked pained. "Eh... That was a long time ago..." He said, shooting a warning   
glare at his brother.  
  
"You mean that diamond Knuckles found in your bag along with the Chaos Emerald way back  
when you were gonna rat us out?" Sonic said, his anger growing as he converged on the weasel.   
  
Nack gulped. "Er... Well uh, yeah, but like Clawz here said," He said, backing away,  
"That was a long time ago..."  
  
"And you say you stole it together? From some wolves?" Sonic asked, scowling.  
  
Clawz grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, lay off Spikes." He said sternly, "That was a long  
time ago and things have happened since then. Things have changed."  
  
Sonic looked back over his shoulder at him, then back at Nack. "Yeah," He growled,  
"But some things never change."  
  
"Cool it." Clawz said frowning, stepping in between them. "Cool it Spikes."  
  
Sonic snorted, and looked away. "Fine." He grumbled. "I'll see you guys later. I'm  
heading solo."   
  
Before either one of them could react, he had zipped off through the trees.  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  



	9. Unworthy

  
  
Chapter nine: "Unworthy"  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles felt ashamed once again, as Shelia explained to him yet more that he had  
never known about the crystals. Once he thought that the Master Emerald and the seven other  
chaos emeralds were all that there were. He thought once that the emeralds were good and  
were a source of infinite power. Only several months ago had he really begun to understand.  
There were eight master crystals, sacred stones, elemental jewels. Chaos was only one. And  
it was the most evil of them all.  
  
"I don't know much about the legend, or how the amethyst or ruby came into the hands  
of my ancestors by yours... I just know what is good and bad. Just the basics." Shelia said  
finally.  
  
Knuckles was frowning, leaning back as the auto pilot continued on to the swamp. "Well...   
It's much more than I ever knew..." He mumbled.  
  
She saw the pain in his face. "Don't worry about it, Knuckles. No one can know   
everything..." She said softly.  
  
"Yeah, but I should know everything about the stones! I'm supposed to be the guardian,  
and I don't even know what I'm guarding anymore! Ever since that damn diamond showed up I've  
been confused! I feel like I don't know anything!" He said loudly.  
  
She was silent for a while. "I... I'm sorry..." She said gently.  
  
He sighed and looked over at her. "No... No, don't do that again. It isn't your fault...  
I'm sorry I blew up at you... You were just trying to help..." He said, cooling down.  
  
"It's okay..." Shelia said, "I know what it's like to be confused..."  
  
He smiled slightly. "Yeah."  
  
She looked up and out the windshield. "We're almost there." She said.  
  
He looked out too. Below them the ground had grown from the sea and a thick, wet forest  
had begun. They had all ready begun to descend.  
  
"You should switch off the auto pilot now and find a place to land." She instructed.  
  
"Oh... Yeah." He mumbled, searching for the button. She smiled at him and pointed to  
it. He tried to act unruffled as he pushed it. Now he wasn't so sure he wanted to drive this   
thing. Truth is, he had never driven before, much less landed. He hadn't even known the   
wonders of any computer until Espio had shown him.   
  
The fact was he didn't have a clue how to work the thing.   
  
"So... Uh, now what?" He asked, trying to sound casual.  
  
"Pull that lever and put down the landing gear." She said, still smiling.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Now slow down until the needle on that dial is in the blue area."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"A little more... More... Uh, more..."  
  
"Man that ground sure is coming up fast..." He mumbled uneasily.  
  
"Slow down!" She yelled.  
  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
Sally had left the village to go back to the original campsite, where Rotor was  
repairing the two vehicles. She caught him by surprise as he was working under the hood of one  
of the crafts, and he jumped up and hit his head.  
  
"Oh," Sally laughed, "I'm sorry Rotor! I didn't mean to startle you!"  
  
He took of his hat and rubbed his head. "It's all right Sally. I have a hard head."  
  
"We might be detained in the village for a time. I'm not sure how long. But I have  
a feeling that they are hiding something there. Possibly the crystal Knuckles sent us after."  
She explained, "I'll need you to continue to stay here and fix these ships up... In case our   
requests are met with hostility, so we can make a quick getaway."  
  
"Right." He nodded.  
  
"I'll contact you if needed, but I just came to tell you that we are all okay... For  
now." She said.  
  
"I'll have these two fixed up in a jiffy." He said, picking up his wrench off the grass.  
  
Sonic came dashing into the clearing with his usual recklessness, practically plowing  
over them both. He came to a sliding halt right in front of Sally. "Yo, Sal I gotta talk to  
you!" He said gruffly.  
  
"What's the matter with you!" She chided, "You almost ran us over!"  
  
"Look Sal, the tiger has the stone we're looking for." He said, ignoring her scolding.  
  
She brightened. "Just as I thought!" She said, hitting a fist into her other palm. "Now  
to go talk her out of it..."  
  
Before anyone could doing anything else though, a red hovercar flew into through the   
canopy, whooshed past them, and crashed into a nearby tree. After a few stunned seconds, they  
ran to see what had happened.   
  
The craft hummed, steam rushing from it's outlets, as it cooled down and the power was  
cut off. Coughing, Knuckles and Shelia climbed out of the wreckage.  
  
"Next time," She grumbled, "I'm driving."  
  
"Are you guys all right?!" Sally asked.   
  
Knuckles sighed and looked back at the craft, that now had a huge u-shaped dent in it's  
nose where they had plowed into the tree. "Yeah, we're fine, but I think the car may need a   
little medical attention."  
  
"Don't worry," Rotor said, a bit tiredly, "I'll take care of it. The more the merrier..."  
  
"Well, we're here!" Shelia said dusting herself off. "What's the big emergency?"  
  
Sally blinked. "Er... I think you better come and see for yourself..."  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
Tails had separated from the group and took to the trees to search the village. Up  
there he could see almost the entire thing. It wasn't that big, rather shabby, not nearly  
as solid as Knothole. But Sally was right. The whole village was made up of females. They  
seemed to speak every single language he could think of. All kinds of animals. Foxes, cats,  
bears, skunks, squirrels, and almost every other species in the world it seemed. But around   
the tall, night-haired tiger, they all spoke an oriental language, like he had heard before.   
Weird, he thought. Suddenly, a stone shot up into the air and hit him on the back of the head.  
Stumbling, he fell out of the tree.  
  
"Spying s'more, eh kid?" Maria asked, sticking her slingshot back in her skirt and   
staring at him in a pile of tails on the ground.  
  
He stood up rubbing his head. "Didn't have to hit me..." He said frowning. "I was just   
looking around..."  
  
"It's called spying, kid." She said, grinning.  
  
"Stop calling me kid. You can't be much, if any, older than me." He sneered.  
  
"Yeah, but girls mature much earlier than boys." She retorted.  
  
"Whatever." He mumbled, half under his breath, "For being so mature you look a little  
'underdeveloped'..."  
  
Her eyes seemed to flash. "What is that supposed to mean?!"  
  
"Well, if you really are Shelia's sister... You seem a little... Small." He said, looking  
her up and down.   
  
She was about his height, maybe slightly shorter, with chin-length blonde hair and short   
bangs. Her ears were tipped black like Shelia's but the rest of her appearance was quite   
different. For one, her fur was light orange, not red, and her eyes were blue. She wore a   
simple blue tank top with a odd symbol pressed onto it, and a pleated leather skirt. And  
she wasn't nearly as curvy as her sister.  
  
Now she looked enraged. "Are you insulting me?!" She growled.  
  
"You insulted me first!" He argued.  
  
"I did not!"  
  
"You did too! You said that I was immature!"  
  
"Well you are! All boys are! It's a fact!"  
  
"It is not!"  
  
"It is too! Go look it up!"  
  
Suddenly there argument was interrupted by a soft voice.  
  
"M-maria...?"  
  
Maria looked up to see Shelia staring at her in awe.  
  
"Shelia?" She whispered. She had simply thought these intruders had been pulling her leg  
that her sister was still alive. She had given up on it weeks ago. But now, there she was just  
standing there, as alive as she could be. "H-how...?" She mumbled.  
  
But before she could ask anymore questions, her sister had thrown her arms around her,  
in an exasperated hug. She was sobbing wildly. "Oh Maria, Maria...!" She wept.  
  
Tears sprang to the little fox's eyes. "Shelia... I-I thought you were dead!" She cried,  
returning the embrace whole-heartedly. "I thought, I thought... The robots, went after you into  
the valley... B-but You're alive! H-how?"   
  
"Sonic saved me," She said softly, pointing to the spiky blue hedgehog behind her. "I   
made it to the Great Forest, but got injured... And Sonic saved me..."  
  
Maria, still in total disbelief just began crying onto her sister's shoulder.  
  
"B-but you..." Shelia asked shakily, "How did you...? Everything was burned... Dead..."  
  
"Through the caves..." Maria choked, "Underneath the house... I found a cave... The   
robots never found me... I followed the cave until I came out in the desert... All the way on   
the other side of Robotropolis..."  
  
"But... That's almost a hundred miles!" Shelia said.  
  
"It took weeks..." Maria sniffled. "I was barely alive... Then the Amazons found me..."  
  
They both stared at each other for a while, then began crying and hugging again.  
  
"Er..." Knuckles whispered to Sally, "What's going on? Who's that girl?"  
  
"That's Shelia's sister, Maria." Sally explained.  
  
"Sister?" Knuckles asked, "But her family..."  
  
"If... If you're alive," Maria sniffled, "What about Momma, or Jem?"  
  
Shelia bit her lip, and cast down her eyes. "No..." He said softly. "The robot monster  
killed them both..."  
  
Maria's eyes welled again, and she buried her face in Shelia's shoulder.  
  
The rest of them watched in awe. Tails especially. The girl had seemed so tough, and  
now she had been reduced to tears. He guessed she wasn't so strong after all...  
  
Shelia sniffled, realizing everyone, even the Amazon queen, was watching them. She  
stood up slowly, holding Maria's shoulder. She smiled weakly. "Maria... These are my friends."  
She said indicating the Freedom Fighters. "Sonic the Hedgehog, Bunnie Rabbot, Antoine   
D'Coolete, 'Tails' Prower, Clawz Wildcat, and Princess Sally Acorn."  
  
"Princess?" Maria said blinking.  
  
"Just call me Sally." Sally said, adjusting her blue vest modestly.  
  
"And this," She said, turning to Knuckles, "Is Knuckles Echidna, Guardian of the   
Floating Island."  
  
Maria's eyes widened as her eyes rested on the white crescent marking on his chest.  
"Guardian...?" She asked softly. All her disbelief in the group seemed to melt away. "So they  
were telling the truth..."  
  
Knuckles nodded. "Yes, well..." He mumbled. Suddenly he became aware of a pair of   
flashing yellow-green eyes upon him. He turned to find the queen, staring at him with great   
interest. He looked around and noticed that all the other villagers had stopped what they were   
doing and were gazing at him with wonder. He blushed slightly. What were they all looking at   
him like that for? He cleared his throat, "I have come looking for a sacred stone... One that   
Princess Sally informs me that she suspects you possess." He said to the queen.  
  
"Eh, Knux..." Clawz whispered, leaning over to him, "She don't speak English..."  
  
"Silence." The tiger hissed suddenly, in a commanding voice. She seemed to stun everyone  
with her sudden speech, even her subjects. "I speak when I wish to speak." Her English was a   
little broken, but none the less commanding. Her voice only hinted at oriental background.  
  
Sally came and stood next to Knuckles. "We are sorry for the trouble we have caused you,  
but what the Guardian says is true. We came looking for the sacred stone." She said.  
  
The tiger shot her a cutting glare. "You speak only when spoken to, intruder!" She   
growled. "You may be princess, but in this village I rule, yes?"  
  
Sally flinched. "... Yes..." She said finally. 'Best we cooperate,' She thought, 'Even  
if it does mean a blow to my ego.' She stiffened, "We need your stone--"  
  
"You dare?! You intrude on our sacred land, disgrace our people, spy, lie, steal, and   
expect me to hand over our most holy stone?" The queen seethed, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Sally defended, "We didn't steal anything!"  
  
The queen harrumphed, and signaled two of her servants. They nodded, went into the   
hut that had served as their prison and dragged a familiar purple weasel bound and tied into   
the center of the group.  
  
"This filthy beast tried to steal our opal." She hissed.   
  
"Dammit Nack!" Clawz growled at him, "What the hell didja think you were doin'?!"  
  
The weasel scowled up at him. "I was tryin' to do sumthin' right! I thought if I swiped  
th' jewel fer you guys..." He began.  
  
"Well you thought wrong!" Sally snapped.  
  
"Man, how could you do something so stupid!" Sonic growled.  
  
"What is he doing here?" Knuckles asked, indicating Nack, still tied up on the ground.  
  
Almost everyone else had begun fighting amongst themselves, and ignored his inquiry.   
Antoine, Bunnie, and Sonic were all trying to get at Nack, while Clawz defended him   
reluctantly, although still cursing down at him. Tails looked unsure, and was constantly   
switching sides. The tribe seemed on edge, as if readying to attack at any moment. Sally and   
the Amazon queen seemed to be in a very heated staring contest, and were oblivious to the   
action around them.   
  
Those who weren't fighting were thoroughly confused. Shelia and Maria were standing   
behind the big echidna, keeping as far as they could from the argument. "I don't   
understand..." Shelia asked, "Who is that guy on the floor? Why is everyone arguing?"  
  
"That's Nack Weasel, a bounty hunter. He's Clawz's brother." Knuckles answered, turning   
to her a leading them back under a tree, as safer distance away from Clawz's vivid use of   
curse words.  
  
"...Brother?" Shelia asked, still very confused, "But he's a..."  
  
"It's a long story," He sighed patting her shoulder, "I'll explain later. Stay over   
here, I'll settle this."  
  
"Eh..." She said grabbing his hand and wearily looking at the squabbling group, "I think   
you should just let them cool off first..."  
  
"No, I better step in before somebody gets hurt." He said firmly. "I know how to  
break up a fight. You forget that I have to deal with the Chaotix everyday..."  
  
She smiled. "I suppose so... Just take care. I don't think getting between Sally and  
that tiger is such a good idea... You might get burned."  
  
He smiled too and then changing his expression to something more commanding, and strode  
into the middle of the fray.  
  
Shelia watched after him, proudly. She seemed to have forgotten that her little sister  
was watching. Maria looked up at her and blinked. What was wrong with her? She looked over at   
Knuckles, back at Shelia, then back Knuckles again. "Hmmm..." She mumbled quietly.  
  
"Everyone just calm down!" Knuckles demanded, stepping between Clawz and Sonic, and   
addressing the rest of the crowd.   
  
Sally snapped from her trance and finally realized that her troops were at each other's  
throats. She turned to them, abruptly ending her glaring contest with the Amazon queen.   
"Knuckles is right!" She said loudly, although glaring at Nack, "We won't solve anything by   
quarreling like children! This is a simple matter of misunderstanding!"  
  
"Yeah! So lay off!" Clawz growled, pulling his brother to his feet and untying his ropes.   
Nack gave him a grateful look.  
  
Sally turned back to the queen, who was still eyeing her viciously. "We never meant to   
intrude on your privacy. We have come looking for the stone you possess, it is true, but only   
for the Guardian," She said, nodding to Knuckles, "He is on a mission, and we are helping him."  
  
"So you steal from us?" The tiger growled down at her with her flashing eyes from a   
top her tall-backed reed-woven throne. She was beautiful yes, with her long black flowing hair,   
elegant stripes, and long slender body, but she was also rather fearsome. To Sally, the   
tiger's teeth looked a little too sharp.  
  
"It was not our intention..." Sally stumbled, "It was simply a misunderstanding. Nack   
here," She said pointing to him behind Clawz, "Is a bounty hunter... It is simply his way..."  
  
Nack blinked at her in surprise.  
  
"That not excuse your behavior. He is one of you, an outsider, and you act as one against   
us." The tiger said, eyes narrowing dangerously.  
  
"Wha...?" Clawz asked.  
  
"I think she means, one of us messes up, we're all screwed." Sonic explained.  
  
The queen turned of him suddenly. "And you..." She said eyeing him curiously, "Saved   
Maria-san's sister...?"  
  
Sonic gulped. "Eh yes... I saved Shelia..."  
  
"From the same evil that flows from the dark city?" She continued.  
  
"From Robotropolis, you mean?" He asked, "Yeah, we fight Robotnik. We're Freedom   
Fighters."  
  
She nodded at him. "I think I have heard of you and your little group Sally-hime." She   
said turning back to Sally, "Yes, yes. Now I remember..."  
  
"Heard of us...?" Sally inquired, "From who?"  
  
The tiger darkened again. "I ask questions. You answer." She warned.  
  
Sally complied, reluctantly shutting her mouth and curiosity.  
  
"Now comes the you, Guardian." The queen said, stepping down from her throne and   
walking towards him.   
  
"Yes..." Knuckles mumbled, feeling a bit small underneath her gaze once again. "I need   
your crystal..."  
  
She circled him, ignoring his words and examining him. She came and stood in front of   
him again and looked him up and down, mumbling to herself. Her eyes rested on his chest and   
the white marking there. She nodded. "You are exactly what I expected..." She said finally,   
looking him in the eye. "You have the mark... Definitely real thing."  
  
He brightened. "So you will give me the--"  
  
She held up a hand, cutting of his question. "But you must understand that because of   
what has happened, because of how your... Friends... Have presented themselves... I cannot   
simply give you anything. As of now, you are unworthy." She said, her expression unreadable.  
  
Knuckles' expression however was very evident. He looked very disappointed, almost   
ashamed. Unworthy... It took him a few seconds to think. Before he could say anything, Shelia   
was at his side, frowning at the tiger angrily.  
  
"What do you mean he's unworthy?" She challenged, "He's the Guardian isn't he! If you   
are a keeper, you know he is the rightful owner of the stones! All of them! You have to give   
it up!"  
  
The queen stared at her in surprise, then scowled. "The opal has been in the hands of   
this tribe for centuries. We have protected it from the world. I am not simply giving it to one   
who is unworthy." She said.  
  
Knuckles felt a little sick. 'Unworthy...' He thought.  
  
"Amazons don't give up anything without a fight." The tiger said, her dark expression   
changing to a haughty smile.  
  
"... A fight?" Shelia asked, backing away.  
  
The queen's grin broadened. "Yes. A tournament. Then we will see if you and your friends   
are truly worthy... You see... The reason our tribe has come to this swamp, where my ancestors   
were given the stone some hundreds of years ago, is for the 'Hasha no Taikai'... Or as you   
would say, the 'Tournament of Champions'." The queen explained, "Normally we are roamers, or   
nomads... But this is our sacred ground. Jibou no Opaaru, our opal, was first given to the   
Amazon rulers here, long time ago. This is where we hold the tournament, every ten years."  
  
"So..." Sally asked furtively, "You want us to fight in this tournament... And if  
we win, you will give us the stone? Then we will be worthy?"  
  
"I will see." The tiger said slyly. "But the tournament is not just fighting. There are   
five events: wisdom, speed, strength, sword, and shot. Three rounds. Sword and shot in the   
first, speed and strength in the second, and wisdom in the last and final round. You must pick  
one contestant to represent you in each event."  
  
Sally nodded, smiling a little. "You got yourself a deal."  
  
The queen nodded. "Yes. But before it can begin, we must wait for the other contestants  
to arrive. This year, we have allies from afar joining us. They should arrive by the next  
sunrise. You can take this time to assemble a suitable team."  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  



	10. Complications

  
  
Chapter ten: "Complications"  
  
  
  
"So..." Sally asked the group, as they sat around their small camp fire outside the  
Amazon tribe's borders where Rotor had been repairing the vehicles. "Who to choose...?"  
  
"Well, we all know who's got speed." Sonic said confidently.  
  
"I have to admit," Sally said, "You are our best bet in that department, Sonic. You'll  
take the speed event."  
  
"And I," Antoine said unsheathing his saber, "Will take the sword event, no?"  
  
"Right." Sally said. "Hmmm... Any other volunteers?"  
  
"I'll take the shot event," Shelia spoke up, patting her laser pistol in it's holster on  
her belt. She brought it in case of an emergency.   
  
"Good idea." Sally said, "Well, I suppose I'll take wisdom, if no one else minds... Now  
we must find someone for strength..."  
  
Knuckles looked up to find everyone staring at him again. He looked unsure.  
  
"Well, Knux? What d'ya say?" Clawz asked.  
  
Knuckles frowned. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I must leave to go back to the island... I'm   
sorry."  
  
"But Knuckles," Shelia asked, pulling on his arm, "We're doing this for you! You can't  
just up and leave!"  
  
He looked down. "It is an obligation I cannot turn away from. Although I know this is  
important, my duty as guardian of an island is more important. The stones can wait, while the   
safety of hundreds cannot. Please understand." He explained sadly.  
  
Shelia frowned at him. "I hate it when you talk like that," She muttered.  
  
He just sighed. "Sorry. Maybe I can come back later... But I have to leave. I   
promised..."  
  
"... And we all know how good you are at keeping promises." Shelia said, just loud enough  
for him to hear.  
  
He winced.  
  
Sally was frowning, too. "Well, I guess we'll have to pick someone else..."  
  
"Ah'll do it." Bunnie said, holding up her robotocized left arm. "If this thing is  
good fer anythin', it's strength."  
  
Sally looked relieved. "Good." She said, smile returning. "So it will go like this:   
Antoine with sword, Shelia with shot, Sonic with speed, Bunnie with strength, and me with  
wisdom. We're likely to at least win the majority of the events. I suggest we all get a good   
night's rest. Tomorrow their allies will be here, and we'll see what we're up against. We  
have to get off with a good start."  
  
Everyone agreed, and headed off to their tents and sleeping bags. After a few minutes,  
Shelia and Knuckles were left alone in front of the fire.  
  
"So, when are you leaving?" She asked, a tad bitterly.  
  
He looked over at her and sighed. "Come on, don't do this to me again Shelia. It's not  
like I want to leave you here fighting my battles. It's just something I have to do. Besides,  
I will be back. I just have to check on the island, that's all."  
  
She looked up at him slowly, her anger fading. "I know... It's just... Frustrating  
sometimes. But I know... I'm sorry about what I said earlier... About your promises..."  
  
He smiled a little. "Yeah, well don't be. It's true isn't it?" He said.  
  
She leaned on his shoulder. "No it's not... You never really left me... You're here  
with me now..."  
  
He rested his chin on the top of her head. "I guess..." He mumbled. "... I think I'll  
leave tonight."  
  
"Tonight?" She said, looking up at him.  
  
He kissed the side of her face, through her hair. "In a while." He mumbled.  
  
She leaned on him, and turned to meet his face and his lips.  
  
Maria wrinkled her nose, as she watched the goings on through the trees from her  
hiding place. "Gross..." She whispered to herself. When she suspected her sister and the   
guardian had something going on, she hadn't thought they were _that_ close. 'Talk about tonsil   
hockey...'  
  
Suddenly a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She almost screamed and was about to  
pummel her attacker, when she realized who it was.  
  
"Look who's spying now." Tails said, frowning down at her.  
  
Maria scowled. "Shut-up! They'll hear you!" She whispered through her teeth, pulling  
him down beside her.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked, "What are you sneaking around here for?"  
  
"Shh!" She hissed, "I just wanted to see my sister, but when I came... They were...  
Like that." She nodded through the brush toward the Knuckles and Shelia in their embrace.  
  
"Oh." Tails mumbled, blinking at them. "Man... Can they breathe?"  
  
She had to laugh softly. "Heh, really. How can anyone kiss for that long?"  
  
"Gross." He said, wrinkling his nose in the same fashion she had earlier.  
  
"We better get outta here before they come up for breath and find us watching." She  
suggested, slowly crawling backwards out of the undergrowth. He followed suit and they   
backtracked to the Amazon village.   
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
Julie-Su sat in the middle of the jungle beside her small cook-fire feeling miserable.  
The last few weeks had been absolute hell. She missed her tiny cell-like room and her   
board-hard bed. It was better than sleeping on the cold, wet ground in her robes. Weeks and   
all she had to eat was roots and the occasional fruit pod from the trees. Right now, the Dark   
Legion's mess hall was sounding awfully good. She'd be shoveling down her food like nobody's   
business, and Lysander would be ordering her around and telling her to use better table   
manners before the commanders got onto her. She sighed.  
  
Suddenly an intoxicating aroma drifted under her nose. She sat up straight. What was  
that wonderful smell? She took a long breath, her stomach rumbling. It smelled like... Like  
cherry pie! Cherry pie?! She hadn't had cheery pie in ages! Years! Centuries, it felt like.  
She stood up and pulling her thick black cloak on and putting the hood over her head, she  
headed towards the source of the delicious aroma...  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
"When did Knux say he'd be back?" Mighty asked, as he was laying in front of the   
fireplace staring idly up at the ceiling.  
  
"He said he be back by tomorrow." Espio said, sipping his tea calmly.  
  
"I hope so." Charmy sighed, "I don't want what happened last time to happen again..."  
  
"None of us do, Charms." Vector said. "But until then, we get to hang at Knuckles place.  
A lot mo' comfortable than back in the lake, or in the ole burnt-down HQ."  
  
"...We really should fix that place up." Espio suggested, "Tomorrow we could get some  
supplies from the freedom fighters."  
  
"That's a good idea." Charmy nodded as he poured some honey into his tea and stirred  
it in absentmindedly. "I kinda like having the freedom fighters here..."  
  
"Yeah, they're aw'ight." Vector said, "'Specially Shelia..."  
  
"Plus, the Dark Legion isn't gonna set foot around this place with all of them here."  
Mighty said, scratching his back, "... At least I hope not."  
  
"Cut it out Mighty man," Vector growled, "Yer gonna jinx us."  
  
"Hey Charmy..." Espio asked nodding to the fireplace and the small pan overhanging the  
little fire, "Do you think that pie is done yet?"  
  
"Smells done." The bee said standing up and hovering over to it. "I hope I did it the  
way Miss Shelia said..."  
  
"Oh, I want some!" Vector and Mighty both said simultaneously.  
  
Charmy shook his head at them as he picked up the handle with a towel. "Not yet, not  
yet. Miss Shelia says you gotta put it on a window sill and let it cool first."  
  
"Aww, man." Mighty grumbled.  
  
"It'll only take about fifteen minutes." Charmy said, setting the dish on the  
sill of the nearest window.  
  
"But I'm hungry nooooow..." The armadillo whined.  
  
"Well, you'll just have to wait. I'm gonna do this the right way, just like Miss Shelia  
told me too." The bee said walking back over to the group.  
  
"How about some tea guys?" Espio offered.  
  
Mighty stuck out his tongue. "Ech. No thanks. I don't do tea." He muttered.  
  
"Ditto." The crocodile agreed.  
  
Meanwhile, outside a dark shadowy figure crept along the side of the small dwelling  
with it's back against the wall. Slowly it crawled up under the window. There, sitting on  
the sill was it's prize. Inside the Chaotix continued to chatter meaninglessly. In one quick  
grab the black-cloaked figure had the pie off the sill and in it's hand. The only complication  
was that the pan practically seared through it's gloves, causing the figure to yelp in pain  
and drop the dish into the grass, splattering cherries and crust everywhere.  
  
"Hey!" Mighty said, sitting up. "What was that?"  
  
Charmy looked over a the window and saw the blank spot where his pie should have been.  
"Somebody stole my pie!" He yelled.  
  
They all rushed over to the window in time to see the figure sprint into the forest.  
  
"A Dark Legionnaire!" Espio exclaimed.  
  
Vector turned and punched Mighty in the shoulder.  
  
"Hey!" The armadillo yelled, "What was that for?!"  
  
"For jinxin' us!" The croc answered simply.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
"Do you really have to go now?" Shelia asked softly, as she and Knuckles stood in the  
clearing in the cool evening moonlight.  
  
He nodded sadly. "Yeah I do. I need to get there before morning. With these updrafts I  
can reach the island by myself faster than one of those hoverthings..."  
  
She hugged him. "I'll miss you..."  
  
"I'll miss you too." He said, returning the embrace. He leaned down and kissed her. It  
was several minutes before it ended.  
  
He regained his breath. "Good bye..." He said reluctantly.  
  
"Good bye." She said, then kissed him again before he could leave.  
  
Another few minutes passed.  
  
He stood up straight, parting them softly. "I really have to go now." He mumbled.  
  
"All right. Good bye." She whispered.  
  
He took a few steps, but she held onto his arm. He looked back at her, and her shining  
green eyes. Why did she always have to make this so hard. He smiled a little. "Okay, just  
one more..." He said, pulling her into another fond embrace.   
  
She laughed softy as their lips met, but her emotion seemed the opposite when they   
split. She gave him one last stubborn hug, sniffling back tears.  
  
"Shelia..." He whispered, "I'll be back for you. I promise... What ever that's worth,  
I promise. I'll be back for you."  
  
"Oh Knuckles..." She whimpered, "I know you will..."  
  
He hugged her tightly, afraid to let go. "I... I will really miss you."  
  
"I'll miss you more." She sniffled.  
  
"I don't think that's possible..."  
  
She shut her eyes, emotion running through her. "I love you..." She said softly.  
  
For a moment, there was silence. Then he leaned away from her and looked down at her  
with uneasiness mixed with confusion. She was surprised with his expression. They stared at  
each other. She waited for a return.  
  
"...Yeah, well..." He mumbled almost fearfully, "I gotta go now. Good bye."  
  
Rather quickly, he let her go, turned, and practically ran out of the clearing.  
  
She just stared after him, blankly and unbelieving.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	11. The good, the bad, and the in-between...

  
  
Chapter eleven: "The good, the bad, and the in-between..."  
  
  
  
"Look I'm sorry all right!" Nack grumbled, "I was just trying' t'help!"  
  
"Well cut it out!" Clawz snarled back at him, "Yer just makin' things worse!"  
  
Nack scowled at him, and snorted. "You sure have changed. What ever happen't the  
brother I used't know?"  
  
"He got stabbed in the back." Clawz returned, glaring at the weasel.  
  
Nack flinched and turned away. "... But yer still alive." He said, barely audible.  
  
"Yeah, but I wouldn't be, if it weren't fer the Freedom Fighters." The wildcat  
said sullenly, "...You almost killed me."  
  
Nack's frown deepened. "I... I didn't mean to... Really... I... I didn't mean to..."  
He mumbled quietly, staring at the floor.  
  
Clawz sighed. "... I know."  
  
"Look, Clawz..." Nack began, "It was the stupidest thing I ever done, and I really  
paid for it... I lost my greatest partner for it... And... I'm... Really sorry things  
are the way they are. But they are. And I cain't change 'em. I'm a back-stabbing, bounty  
hunter, and your a momma's boy freedom fighter." He finished, a grin creeping to his lips.  
  
Clawz laughed silently. "Yeah... I guess."  
  
"And because of that... I guess it's hard to trust each other anymore." Nack said, again  
growing grim. "I think I should just get outta here, run off in th' night..."  
  
"No!" Clawz said suddenly. "C'mon, bro, you gotta at least try! Please stay! I don't  
care what anybody else says er thinks, but you're my family. Th' only real family I got  
left!"  
  
Nack sighed. "I dunno..."  
  
"Just a little while longer. I'll make Spikes lay off. And we can explain everything  
to the Princess. She's a cool chick, she'll listen..."  
  
"I guess... But if something else happens..." Nack said slowly.  
  
"Don't worry... It won't..." Clawz reassured, a bit uneasily. "Now can we drop the  
subject, huh?"  
  
"Good idea." Nack agreed. "So tell me, who's the babe wit the Guardian...?"  
  
"Oh, that's Shelia. We picked her up a while back. She was out of it fer a while, but  
Knux helped her regain her memory. Her folks were all killed by Mecha Sonic, 'cept fer the  
kid we just found..." Clawz explained.  
  
"...So, she ain't available?" Nack asked, grinning.  
  
"Not unless you want to get your ass kicked by a certain red echidna." Clawz shrugged.  
  
"Got 'cha." The weasel nodded, "... So, what's up with the 'fighters an him wantin' this  
stone of the tiger babe's?"  
  
"It's s'possed to be 'sacred stone' or something like that. Like a chaos emerald, y'know?  
Some real powerful stuff."  
  
"Oh really...?"  
  
Clawz shot him a dark glare. "Don't get any ideas, bro. There won't be any more  
stealin'. We're gonna win this thing, fair and square." He said sternly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. The 'right' way..." Nack snorted, a tone of mocking in his voice.  
  
"So, what were you really doin' out in the desert, headin' towards Robo-town?" Clawz  
asked, adjusting his sun-glasses over his eyes and laying down on the tarp-covered ground  
inside their relatively small tent.  
  
"Whatta ya mean what was I really doin? I all ready told you the truth." Nack defended  
  
"Yeah, sure." Clawz replied.  
  
Nack frowned, but said nothing.  
  
"Well, if yer just gonna sit there lookin' like dumbass all night, d'ya mind blowin'  
out the lantern?" The wildcat suggested.  
  
Grumbling, Nack snuffed out the flame with a harrumph.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles barely had time to think of what he had done before the blowing wind had  
brought him back to his island home. He landed wearily, feeling extremely tired and began  
to walk slowly back towards his house. He tried to forget, but his action continued to  
plague the back of his mind. He just left her... Left her without a return when she had just...  
  
Before his thoughts could progress even further, Archimedes appeared on his shoulder  
in his small explosion of smoke, practically scaring the echidna out of his skin.  
  
"Jeez Archimedes!" Knuckles said, catching his breath, "What are you trying to do, give  
me a heart attack or something?!"  
  
"No time for small talk Guardian!" The fire ant informed, "We've got a situation on  
our hands!"  
  
Knuckles groaned. "Can't it wait until morning?"   
  
"No." Archimedes said frowning, "A Dark Legion soldier has been sighted on the island."  
  
Knuckles' blinked. "A Dark Legion soldier?" He said confused, then frowned too, "Can't  
you guys handle the island for one lousy day without getting into trouble?"  
  
"Apparently not." Archimedes sighed.  
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
"Hurry!" Mighty called pointing into the forest. "I think he went that way!"  
  
The Chaotix rushed into the trees after the dark cloaked figure. Vector saw it flash  
suddenly before him, then towards the lake. "There he goes!" He yelled, in hot pursuit. Finally  
he caught up with the legionnaire, and corned him on the brink over-hanging the water.  
  
"Heh, gotcha now punk!" The croc said, lunging at the soldier. Suddenly, the legionnaire  
had him arm, and had tossed him over it's shoulder into the water with ease.  
  
Vector came sputtering to the surface, just in time to see the soldier run off again into  
the underbrush. "Damn..." He grumbled, "That guy's good..."  
  
Bursting out of the forest at top speed, the legionnaire ran smack dab into Knuckles. At  
first they just stared at each other in surprise. Then, scrambling away into the field the  
soldier began to run again. It wasn't long until Knuckles had grabbed him around the ankles,  
bringing them both tumbling back to the ground. Knuckles, still in a daze from rolling, tried  
to grab the legionnaire's collar, but missed and grabbed something else instead.   
  
Knuckles blinked in surprise, feeling something soft under it's cloak where he expected   
a flat chest would be. "What the..."  
  
His jaw was instantly met with a hard punch, sending him reeling. He staggered back up  
to his feet, still very confused.   
  
"Watch were you're grabbing, pervert!" The soldier growled, in a voice he had expected  
to be masculine, but was much the opposite. He stood up, and stumbling his hood fell back  
revealing that he... Was really a she. The Dark Legionnaire was a tall, rose-colored female   
echidna with striking violet eyes.  
  
Before he knew what he was doing, Knuckles was apologizing. "Oh, I'm so sorry miss...  
I-I thought that you were..." He stammered, embarrassed.  
  
"Yeah, just don't let it happen again." She grumbled, dusting herself off. She began to   
walk away.  
  
Suddenly he came to his senses. "Hey! Get back here!" He yelled, grabbing her arm.   
"Female or not you're still a Dark Legion soldier!"  
  
She scowled back at him. "Let me go you jerk! I'm not a Dark Legionnaire anymore!"  
  
"Anymore?" He questioned, suspiciously. "So you're not one now?"  
  
"No. I... Resigned." She defended.  
  
"Then what are you doing sneaking around the island?" He returned.  
  
"I was just trying to get something to eat! Look, I'm not a Dark Legionnaire anymore!   
Let me go!" She insisted.  
  
"Why did you leave the legion?" He asked, his hand still clamped onto her arm.  
  
"Because I wanted to! What is this, twenty questions!?" She yelled.  
  
"Is the rest of the legion here somewhere?" He continued.  
  
"How should I know!? I told you I quit!" She growled, struggling.  
  
"Yeah, right!" He growled back, twisting her arm.  
  
She turned back and punched him in the stomach, and tried to slip away as he recovered,   
but he pounced on her again before she could get very far. She took another punch at him, but   
missed. They tussled for several minutes before she gave out a shrill yelp in pain. In the   
heat of the battle, he had accidentally slashed through her cloak and gashed her stomach.  
  
He backed off a bit, looking at his fist and the blood on his knuckles. "I... I'm sorry   
I didn't mean to hurt you... I was just trying to restrain you..." He mumbled sincerely.  
  
She looked up at him, slightly surprised. She clutched her wound gently. It wasn't deep,   
but it hurt badly when she moved. "I'm all right..." She lied, "Look, I won't cause anymore   
trouble okay? Just leave me alone..."  
  
He frowned. "But you're hurt..."  
  
"I'm all right." She repeated, "...Just a scratch."  
  
"No way. I'm taking you home. Besides, I can't just let you go. Female or not, you're   
still a Dark Legionnaire..."  
  
"WAS a Dark Legionnaire." She corrected, "And just leave me alone! What do you care if I   
am or not! You act like you're the Guardian or something!"  
  
He stared down at her silently for a moment. "I am the Guardian." He said finally.  
  
She gasped. "Wh-what?"  
  
"We're you expecting me to look something different?" He asked, smiling slightly.  
  
"Well... By my master's... Err, FORMER master's description, and the battle I saw   
before... You were supposed to be some kind of terrible monster..." She said slowly.  
  
Knuckles laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm the only Guardian here." He said.  
  
She stared up at him in disbelief.  
  
He sighed and bent down beside her and began to put his arms under her.  
  
"Hey!" She protested as he lifted her up, "What do you think you're doing?!"  
  
"Picking you up." He said simply.  
  
"What the hell for?!" She yelled, practically in his ear.  
  
"Just calm down all right!" He reassured, "I'm carrying you back to my house."  
  
"I can walk you know." She growled.  
  
"No you can't. You're hurt. Walking will just tear the wound open more. Just relax." He   
said, beginning to walk.  
  
"Look Mr. Chivalry, I'm not some damsel in distress! I can take care of myself!"  
  
"Quiet." He said, "It's not far..."  
  
"Fine." She grumbled, staring at him darkly.  
  
"What is you're name?" He asked, calmly.  
  
She hesitated. "...Julie-Su." She said finally.  
  
"My name's Knuckles. My home is just right over this hill..."  
  
She blinked at him silently. 'Knuckles, eh?' She thought, 'Weird name... But he is   
actually kinda cute... Definitely an improvement over Kragok...'  
  
"Here we are." He said, stopping in front of the door and pushing it open with his foot.   
They entered a small, cozy living room with a worn looking couch, coffee table, and little   
fire place. The walls all around them were made of rock, and small circular cross-barred   
windows were cut out of them on one side. The ceiling sloped downward, to where a door and   
staircase went down into the lower level.  
  
Knuckles looked at the couch and grumbled. In their haste to catch the pie-snatcher the  
Chaotix left books and spilled tea all over the furniture. He'd deal with them later. Meanwhile,   
he carried her down the stairs, though a small hall, and into another small room. This one was   
as simple as the other, with a tall bookcase lining one wall, and bed on the other. He laid   
her gently on top of the covers.  
  
He realized she was looking at him funny. "Stay right here." He said, heading out the   
door, "I'll be back in a second."  
  
Julie-Su nodded dimly, still taking in her surroundings. She sat up stiffly, wincing as   
she did. She looked down at her hand, which had all ready become red with blood. She grumbled   
and began to take off her stained clothing.  
  
Knuckles re-entered at that point, took one look at her disrobing and turned around   
quickly. "Oh! I-I'm sorry! I should've knocked!"  
  
She laughed, not feeling at all embarrassed. "You apologize too much. It's all right...   
You can turn around now."  
  
He turned around slowly and found her in black and green under-clothes. She was smiling   
at him. He gulped.  
  
"You act like you've never seen a girl before..." She said smoothly.  
  
"I haven't... Uh, I mean... I haven't ever seen... A female of my own kind..." He   
stuttered.  
  
She blinked. "Really?"  
  
He shook his head. "Nope."  
  
She laughed again. "Poor guy. It's all right. I won't bite."  
  
He approached her slowly and sat down beside the bed and pulled out some items from a   
small leather pouch he was carrying. "Uh... Lie down please." He asked.  
  
"What are you going to do?" She asked.  
  
"Just clean your cut and put some medicine on it." He explained.  
  
She laid down slowly, trying to pretend it didn't hurt.  
  
"Hold still..." He mumbled, pulling out a small vile and pouring some of it's contents   
onto a cloth. "It might sting a little..."  
  
She bit her lip as the liquid seemed to burn into her as he wiped it softly over her   
torn flesh and fur. "A little?!" She hissed.  
  
"Sorry." He said, pulling out a bandage and rubbing a poultice onto it. She cringed   
again as he placed it over her wound, put surprisingly no more pain came. "There." He said,   
"That should fix you up. How does it feel?"  
  
"...Fine." She mumbled.  
  
"Good." He said, standing up. "You'll sleep here tonight. I'll figure out what to do   
with you in the morning."  
  
She sat up. "Where are you going?" She asked, not even realizing that the pain had   
completely disappeared.  
  
"I'm going to sleep on the couch. Good night." He said, and closed the door as he left.  
  
She stared after him in wonder. 'He's letting me, who punched him twice, sleep in his   
bed while he takes the couch?' She thought, 'And he didn't even make a move on me when I'm   
sitting here in my underwear! How weird. He didn't even lock me in... This guy is too nice   
for his own good...'  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles slumped down on the sofa weary again. His mind wasn't on the Dark Legionnaire   
in his bed. Far from it. His mind was back on the surface of Mobius, with his Shelia.   
  
What had he done? He did it again... Did something incredibly stupid. She said... And he   
just left... How could he? He couldn't believe it himself. He just left her there. Without a   
return. With nothing. He left her all alone again, just as he has promised he would never do...   
Broken again...   
  
He cursed himself again. She had just blurted it out... He didn't mean to just run off...   
It just... Scared him. He pushed the books and cups off the couch roughly. Nobody had ever   
said that to him... No one... Not even his father had ever said...   
  
He felt confused. He couldn't believe he had just... He buried his face in a pillow. He   
took a deep breath, and found himself smelling her scent. He sat up again and stared down at   
the cushion for a moment, then slowly laid back down holding it in his arms gently.   
  
"I'm sorry Shelia..." He said softly. "I guess I really am unworthy..."  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	12. Another Wake Up Call

  
  
Chapter twelve: "Another Wake Up Call"   
  
  
  
  
  
"...Now stay here." He said softly, touching the young girl on her shoulder. "You'll  
be safe here. They won't find you here..."  
  
"B-but..." She sniffled, looking up at him, her violet eyes brimming with tears. "Where  
are you going? Aren't you going to stay with me?"  
  
He sighed. "I can't... I have... Somewhere to be." He said, reluctantly. "But you stay  
here. Where you'll be safe."  
  
"No!" She sobbed, clutching onto his arm, "I want to go with you!"  
  
He kneeled on the steps beside her, and gently pried her off his arm. "You can't... You  
have to stay here. You have to."  
  
"N-no..." She whimpered. "Please, take me with you!"  
  
"I told you I can't..." He repeated.  
  
She sniffled again. "Please!"  
  
Not answering, he bent over and kissed her on the forehead. "Good-bye, Julie."  
  
"B-But Lysander..."  
  
He knocked on the huge, white double doors. "Good-bye." He said again, and turned to run   
away. He never looked back, afraid the second he saw her tear-filled eyes again, he would crack.   
If he had looked back then, he just might have noticed that she had left the steps in  
front of the orfanage...  
  
Panting, he bent over and rested. He had run all the way across the city, out into the  
outskirts of the population. The sky was dark, and it began to rain softly, the white noise  
of the raindrops in the grass filled his head. This is were he was going to meet them. He   
was finally going to leave this horrible city and be free of his parents forever... But he  
would miss his sister...  
  
'I had to leave her there... It's the only way she'll be safe...' He thought, grimly.  
  
Suddenly, a voice filled the darkness. "So... You wish to leave the city?"  
  
Lysander jumped, and stood up straight again. He had not even realized it, but in the  
last few seconds, about a dozen black-cloaked figures had surrounded him. He gulped. "Y-yes,  
yes I do." He said bravely, "I want to get as far away from this place as I can."  
  
A lone figure stepped up in front of him from the crowd. The darkness and his hood  
hid his face, but Lysander could plainly see a fierce glowing red light peering out from  
where one of the tall echidna's eyes was supposed to be. "There is only one way to leave  
this place. To join us, and pledge your allegiance to me." He said, his deep voice commanding.  
He gestured with his hand, or what could be called a hand. It had been replaced with a huge  
mechanical claw. He was obviously the eldest of the group, others looked like merely teenagers   
like Lysander, so he was most-likely their leader...  
  
Lysander gulped again. "I will do whatever it takes." He said, slowly.  
  
"Good." The leader said, his one red eye flickering. "I am your new leader, Kragok. You  
will call me master. Come now, and we will show you the way--"  
  
"Master!" One of the other dark figures said suddenly. "Another approaches! A young girl!"  
  
Lysander felt his stomach knot up. 'No! Not here, not with these freaks! Please, Julie  
get out of here!' He thought.  
  
The one he called master growled. "Bring her to me."  
  
The other echidna left, and returned seconds later carrying a frightened little girl, no   
older than eleven, his hand over her mouth to stop her screams. She struggled and tried to  
kick him, so he simply threw her into the circle.  
  
Sobbing, she recovered, and hid behind her brother.  
  
Kragok's red eye narrowed, and he glared at Lysander. "You know this girl?" He   
demanded.  
  
Lysander hesitated. "Yes... I'm sorry, sir. She... She must have followed me. I didn't  
know, honest sir! Please don't hurt her!" He pleaded, glancing down at her.  
  
The leader seemed to be considering something. He was staring at the little girl with  
an odd interest. "Come here, girl. Come out here so I can see you."  
  
Reluctantly, Julie stepped out from behind Lysander's legs, still sniffling.  
  
"Please sir, just let her go. She won't tell anyone--" Lysander began.  
  
"Silence!" The red-eyed echidna snarled. "No one sees the Master of the Dark Legion   
without joining our ranks or dying..."  
  
"But, please... Master..." Lysander continued, "She's just a little girl!"  
  
"...But one day perhaps, she will become a woman." Kragok said slowly, as if still  
considering. "...I haven't had a new servant in some time. And I grow bored with the one I  
have..."  
  
"...What do you mean, sir?" Lysander asked, fearfully.  
  
Kragok seemed to ignore him for a moment, and began to talk softly to another cloaked  
echidna. He nodded slowly, almost reluctantly, then stepped forward and grabbed Julie by the  
arm. She screamed, and pulled away, but he threw cuffs over her wrists.  
  
"Lysander!" She cried, still fighting as they drug her away into the darkness. "Help  
me, Lysander! Please help me!"  
  
But he couldn't help her. All he could do was watch as they took her away, and listen  
to her tortured screams during the night, as she was "trained". He listened, and could do  
nothing, as she was forced to do things that made his skin crawl and his hair stand on end...   
For years, all he could do was listen to her sobs and screams...  
  
  
  
  
  
Lysander sat up, sweating. He wiped his longs quills out of this face feverishly. What  
a horrible dream. The same dream he had had over and over since Julie-Su had left the Legion.   
He could still hear his sister's screams... God, he hoped she was all right out there on the   
island. As he tried to calm himself, a hand reached up and touched his shoulder.  
  
Startled at first, he wheeled around muscles tensed.   
  
He was met with the hazel eyes of thin, dark crimson-furred female who had been   
asleep beside him, until he had awakened her when he sat upright all so suddenly.  
  
He sighed with relief and flopped back onto the bed tiredly.  
  
"Ly..." She said softly as she leaned over him, putting a delicate hand on his chest.  
"Are you all right?"  
  
He closed his eyes. "Not really, Hele-na." He mumbled, rubbing his temples.  
  
She breathed gently. "Still worried about Julie...?" She had a voice that seemed much too  
tender to belong to a rouge soldier. It sounded more like the noise silk made when blowing in  
a summer night's wind.   
  
She continued, "You don't have to worry for her... She's much tougher than I." She  
said smiling.  
  
He sighed again and opened one eye to look at her, smiling sadly. "I suppose you're   
right..."  
  
"Now rest some more." She said, again lying down beside him, leaving her hand on his  
chest. "It's only two... We have a few more hours before drills..."  
  
"Yeah..." He mumbled, watching her for a while. Now that Julie was gone, Hele-na was  
the only one close to family he had left. Her name, Hele-na, was pronounced smoothly, as if  
it was not hyphenated at all. Just Helena. Nobody with any wits about them ever called her  
just "Hele". At least he never had. And if he did, he sure wouldn't be sharing a bed with her  
very much longer.  
  
She wasn't nearly as weak as she seemed. Deep down, she had a will of iron and   
bitterness. She was a product of Kragok's cruelty, as Julie would have become. That is, if she   
hadn't escaped. Before Julie, Helena had been his servant. Even though she didn't show it,   
everyday she was pained with horrid memories of that dark period of her life.   
  
Now though, she had taken an odd liking to Lysander, as dull and melancholy as he was.   
He didn't dare think anything better about himself. Kragok all ready had his glowing red eye on   
him. Individuality was not an option in the Dark Legion. No, he wasn't brave... Even if he had   
stood up for his comrades once... He wasn't brave. Or at least that's what he tried to convince   
himself.  
  
Suddenly, his alarm was blaring. He sat up sluggishly and turned it off, glancing at the  
time. 4:30 all ready? He grumbled slightly and began dressing. He sat back down on the bed to  
put on his boots as Helena just began to awaken.   
  
"Oh..." She yawned, "That was too short of a night..."  
  
"Sorry I woke you up earlier." He said, placidly.  
  
"I'll survive." She said, smiling slightly.  
  
He glanced back at her frail-looking form. He was glad she wasn't a soldier. He really  
didn't want anything to happen to her. She worked in the technical and artillery departments  
now. She couldn't get hurt programming computer decks or handing out weaponry. At least he   
hoped she couldn't.  
  
With a loud crackle, the communications screen on the left side of the small room   
suddenly lit up with an image of their leader.  
  
Lysander shot to his feet, saluting quickly. "M-master Kragok." He mumbled in shock.  
  
"Hello Private 5385..." Kragok said slowly, "Lysander, isn't it...?  
  
Fear raced through his mind. "Y-yes, Master." He gulped.  
  
Kragok glanced past him and at Helena sitting on the bed. His normal eye narrowed. "I see  
you have company." He glowered.  
  
Lysander looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked as frightened as he  
felt, or maybe even more so. He gulped again. "Y-yes Master. This is Hele-Na..."  
  
"Ah, yes..." Kragok said darkly, "My former mistress..."  
  
Helena shivered.  
  
Lysander took a deep breath. "What is it you wish of me, Master Kragok?" He asked, trying  
to keep the tremor from his voice.  
  
"I wish to speak with you privately." He answered mechanical eye burning. "Come to my  
quarters. Now."  
  
"Yes, Master." Lysander said, and practically collapsed when the frightening image  
disappeared from the screen.  
  
"Ly..." Helena said softly, "You better get going..."  
  
He nodded. "Right," He said straightening, "Watch yourself today... I have a bad feeling."  
  
"I'll be fine." She reassured, "Good luck to you..."  
  
"Thanks..." He mumbled, pulling up his hood and opening the sliding panel door. 'I think  
I'll need it...' He thought grimly.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
It was a clear enough morning in the eastern swamplands of Mobius. The sky was still  
a ruddy-purple, uneager to let the sun break the night. The cool air had not yet grown thick   
with the humid wetness from the springs, and there was not a cloud in the sky that could be   
seen through the thick, drooping branches of the willows.   
  
A perfect day for a victory, Sally thought.  
  
"Good morning everyone!" She said cheerfully as she greeted her troops at sunrise.  
"Did everyone sleep well?"  
  
Everyone else, still half-asleep, grumbled in reply.  
  
"Good!" She said, ignoring the actual response. "Everybody here?"  
  
"I think half of me is still in bed..." Clawz mumbled.  
  
"Ditto." Nack yawned.  
  
"Where's Shelia?" Sonic asked, looking around drowsily.  
  
"Yeah! Where is she?" Sally asked, beginning to grow concerned, "We need her for the  
shot event!"  
  
"She was with Knuckles last night." Tails informed, as Maria who stood beside him  
nodded in agreement.  
  
"But he left back for the Floating Island didn't he?" Sonic asked.  
  
"That's what I understood he was going to do..." Sally said thoughtfully.  
  
"Y'all don't s'pose she went with him, do you?" Bunnie asked.  
  
"I sure hope not! If she did, then we're sunk in the tournament without her skill in  
the shot department!" Sally said, "Everybody spread out and look for her! The other tribe will  
be arriving any minute!"  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
Shelia lay wearily staring up at the clear sky, searching for an answer. She had barely  
slept at all that night. After he had left, she stood there, silently for a very long time.  
  
She felt so confused...   
  
So hurt....  
  
So empty...   
  
So... Alone...   
  
Again.  
  
She couldn't even comprehend what had happened. For hours she wandered aimlessly  
around the edge of the swampland, not even seeing the path in front of her, or feeling the  
soft earth under her feet as she walked slowly with her head down. It wasn't until midnight  
that the realization of her predicament befell her. Now here she was... Lost and alone again.  
She sat down, and finally let the tears come.  
  
Right when she thought her life was finally coming together again, right when she thought  
she had fallen in love, right when she though he felt the same way... He just left. She had  
never felt so crushed in her whole life. And now she lay huddled on the cool wet grass, staring  
at the sky and lettings tears flow down the sides of her face, more alone than ever.  
  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles sighed softly, not opening his eyes. He took a deep breath, smelling her soft  
rosy scent, and letting a small smile creep onto his lips. He nuzzled her hair gently, but then  
stopped... Something felt wrong. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at what he held in his  
arms. A pillow, not the girl he had imagined. He grumbled and sitting up, tossed it to the other  
side of the room. He slumped face-first back down on the couch miserably. But it wasn't for   
long. He stood up like a shot as a ear-splitting scream erupted from down the hall, followed by a   
multitude of frantic curses.   
  
He ran into his room to find Julie-Su, the female Dark Legionnaire he had apprehended  
the day before, beating his bed with one of her boots.  
  
"What's going on here!?" He yelled, grabbing her by the shoulder from behind.  
  
As if by reflex, she grabbed him by the hand and flipped him into the wall on the   
opposite side of the room.  
  
She gasped. "Oops!"  
  
Knuckles stood up, holding his head in one hand, and his back in the other. "What are  
you trying to do," He growled, "Kill me or something?!"  
  
"Sorry! I didn't mean to... I.. You just grabbed me from behind... And it... Eh... It   
was what I was taught..." She stuttered.  
  
He turned his head up to scowl at her, then as if seeing her for the first time, blinked  
in surprise. She was wearing absolutely nothing. Not that that wasn't out of the ordinary for  
any animal, but it was just that he had gotten used to Shelia always in her shirt and jeans, and  
now seeing this girl without a stitch... He gulped and quickly looked away. Shelia...  
  
He sweated a little, "Umm... Do you mind putting something on, please?" He mumbled.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked straightening and looking down at herself. She looked back at   
him and cocked an eyebrow, smiling slightly. "I make you nervous, Guardian?"  
  
Before Knuckles could reply, he noticed movement under the rumpled covers of his bed. He  
lifted them slowly and Archimedes staggered out, carrying his crushed hat. He looked up at   
Knuckles with a deep frown, then turned to Julie-Su, then back to Knuckles. Without a word, he   
hopped off the bed and hobbled out of the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	13. Old Friends and New Allies

  
  
Chapter thirteen: "Old Friends, and New Allies"  
  
  
  
  
Sonic skidded back into the camp with a look of defeat on his face.  
  
Sally approached him hopefully. "So... Found anything?"  
  
He shook his head slowly. "Nope. Sorry Sal, she's no where to be found. I looked all   
over the place, but I couldn't find her. I could look some more but..."  
  
She sighed, "There's not enough time..."  
  
"She couldn't ah jus disappeared Sally-girl." Bunnie said, putting a reassuring hand  
on her friend's shoulder. "The other's are still lookin'. Maybe they found her. An even if they  
don't, the sword event is first, right? Sugah-Twan is sure to win that fer us."  
  
Sally looked at her, smiling weakly. "I hope so."  
  
Suddenly, the loud echoing of a gong sounded in the courtyard. Maria ran into the small  
Freedom Fighter camp on the border of the swamp hurriedly.  
  
"The... The other tribe... Is--is coming!" She panted.  
  
"All ready?!" Sally groaned.  
  
"Come on," Maria said, grabbing the Princess' hand, "The Queen wants you to be there  
to meet them!"  
  
Grumbling, Sally allowed the kit to pull her into the Amazon's village and up beside the  
throne of the tall tigress that was their leader. Sonic and Bunnie followed reluctantly.  
  
The queen glanced down at them icily for a moment, and without saying anything, turned  
back towards the courtyard. Sally sneered at her. The exotic orange feline was beautiful,  
even regal in her long green and pink embroidered silk kimono, with her long raven hair braided  
and put up with thin ornamental chopsticks, but she was a little too proud, Sally thought. It   
was going to be sweet when they beat her down in this tournament...  
  
A few short minutes later, just as Maria had said, the other tribe arrived and their  
leader kneeled before the queen. She was a tall gray-furred wolf, with ebony black hair tied  
back in a short braid. There was a small light streak in her hair, and a small pale scar under   
her eye...  
  
Sally's mouth fell open as she realized exactly who the leader of the other tribe was.  
"L-Lupe?" She gasped.  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
"Look Archimedes, this isn't what it looks like!" Knuckles insisted, as he followed  
his rather crumpled mentor back into the main room of his small home.  
  
Stopping, the ant turned on his heels and looked straight up him. "You mean to say that  
that you did not have a unclothed, rather aggressive I might say, female in your bed?!" He asked  
darkly.  
  
Knuckles scratched his chin. "Umm..."  
  
Grumbling, Archimedes put his hat back on and continued walking towards the door.  
  
"No, no wait!" Knuckles pleaded, "At least hear me out! I don't even know this girl! I  
just met her yesterday!"  
  
Archimedes glared at him again. "And is that supposed to make it OKAY?!"  
  
"No, uh, that's not what I meant..." Knuckles stuttered.  
  
The ant sighed. "Look... I'll give you one chance to explain this. ONE. Now get  
talking young man."  
  
Knuckles thought a moment, then cleared his throat and began. "Yesterday, I took  
Shelia back to the main land by request of Princess Sally. When I returned that night, I met  
you, telling me that the Chaotix were chasing a Dark Legionnaire..."  
  
Archimedes nodded.  
  
"Well, I ran into the Legionnaire right after that. We had a fight, but in the end, I  
won. But the soldier was injured..." Knuckles continued.  
  
"Yeah, so? what happened to him?" Archimedes asked. "Where is he?"  
  
"Right here."  
  
Archimedes and Knuckles turned around to see Julie-Su in the doorway, in her long black  
uniform robe.   
  
"You mean she's...?" Archimedes asked, trailing off.  
  
Knuckles nodded. "She was hurt, so I brought her back here. I bandaged her up, and  
let her sleep in my bed. I slept on the couch."  
  
Archimedes thought a moment, taking in the whole situation. "...Well, that still  
doesn't explain why she wasn't wearing any clothes..."  
  
"Uh..." Knuckles mumbled, glancing back at her.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Geez! I was hot okay! What is it any of your business how  
I like to sleep?" She said, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Now if you don't mind, I'm  
leaving before I get anyone in any more trouble."  
  
"Hold it." Archimedes said, "You're not going anywhere."  
  
"I am leaving." She repeated, looking down at the small creature in front of her with   
amusement. "And just what are you going to do about it, insect?" She said slowly.  
  
Archimedes face hardened.  
  
"Umm... Julie-Su, I wouldn't test him if I were you..." Knuckles warned.  
  
She laughed. "What? Are YOU afraid of some hot-headed little ant?"  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Well I'm not!" She stated firmly, and stepped forward.  
  
With that, Archimedes transformed into a ball of flames, and instantly, caught her  
cloak on fire.  
  
"Holy shit!" She yelled, frantically trying to slap out the growing inferno on her  
clothing. "I'm on fire!!"  
  
Quickly, Knuckles ran outside to the stream and gathered a bucketful of water. Sprinting  
back inside, he tossed it over her head, just as she finished successfully putting out the fire  
herself.   
  
"Uh... Whoops..." He mumbled.  
  
She scowled at him.  
  
"Now are you ready to stay and chat a while, Miss?" Archimedes said calmly, reverting  
back to his normal form.  
  
She nodded, nervously.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Well, then. Please take a seat. We've got a lot to talk about."  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
The young wolf stood up straight, blinking in surprise. "... Princess Acorn?" She asked.  
  
Sally nodded, smiling.  
  
Lupe looked confused. "But... But what are you doing here? Out in the swamps? And with   
the Amazons?" She asked.  
  
"Long story. I'll tell you later. But... Does this mean you are... The Wolf Pack is...   
Allies with these... Amazons?" Sally asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Lupe coughed. "Uh, yes. We are." She said simply.  
  
"And they have been for long time." The queen said, standing up from her throne suddenly  
and interrupting their conversation. "We have an... agreement."  
  
Sally looked back at her, with cool blue eyes. "What kind of agreement?"  
  
The tiger glared at her for a moment, then sighed. "...The Wolf Pack provides many...   
Suitable mates for my people." She said slowly.  
  
Sally blinked. "...Oh."  
  
"And many of their females learned fighting skills from our trainers..." The queen   
continued, shooting a long stare at Lupe in particular. "But they refuse to join us."  
  
Lupe looked away as Sally glanced back at her.  
  
"But enough talking. It is time for the tournament to begin." The queen said, sitting  
back down on her throne, as several servants picked up the platform it was resting on and   
hefted it onto their shoulders.   
  
"Wait!" Sally called up to her, "My troops aren't ready yet! One is still missing!"  
  
The queen looked down at her coldly. "That is not my problem, Sally-Hime. The tournament  
will begin without them."  
  
Sally started to protest, but the servants were all ready carrying the queen away, and  
a procession was beginning behind them. She grumbled, and collecting Bunnie and Sonic, followed  
them slowly.   
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
Tails dropped to the ground in front of the rest of the search party, and sighed  
sadly. He looked up at the tall brown wildcat in front of him. "Sorry..." He mumbled, "But  
I can't see her, even from the air."  
  
Clawz frowned. "Well, damn."  
  
Nack yawned, bored. "Geez, who cares about this ditzy chick anyway..."  
  
They all turned and gave him a dark stare.  
  
"Vell, Monsuire Weasel, she just happens to be our, 'ow you say, 'hole in the card'."  
  
Nack blinked at him in confusion. "...Wha...?"  
  
"Don't look at me." Clawz shrugged, as his brother turned to him for a translation.  
  
"I think he means Shelia is our 'ace in the hole'." Tails said.  
  
"Oui! That is what I was sayings!" Antoine huffed, "Mademoiselle ClearWaters is ze best  
with ze gun. If we don't have her for ze shot event, we is sunk."  
  
"...Okaaay..." Nack said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Well, we better go back and report to L.P. now..." Clawz sighed, and began walking back  
towards the square. The others followed with their heads down, feeling as if they failed a   
mission. Nack ran into Clawz's back as the wildcat stopped suddenly upon reaching the courtyard.  
  
In front of them was an area where the trees had been cut away in a huge circle. It was  
the very center of the swamp. In the middle of the courtyard was wide, suprisingly stable, round   
stone platform. Around it's edges it was carved out into characters of the oriental Amazon   
language, in perfect white marble script. To the sides, scattered around the arena were tall  
stone columns, figures carved delicately into the opalescent stone to resemble beautiful female  
warriors, one representing each event in the sacred tournament. One for wisdom, speed, strength,   
sword, and shot. It was definitely not a place you would expect to find in a swampland.  
  
But the splendor of the arena was not what caused Clawz's sudden stop. There, on the   
opposite side of the stone platform, stood someone he had not seen in a long time. She was  
just standing there, looking as if she wanted to disappear, as the Amazon Queen and rebel   
Princess argued over something. She glanced in their direction, and not seeming to notice him,  
looked away again. Then, doing a double take, she stared at him in utter shock.  
  
He gulped. "Eh heh..." he mumbled nervously, "Long time no see, eh Loopy?"  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  



	14. Pain in the Past

  
  
Chapter fourteen: "Pain in the Past"  
  
  
  
  
Lysander stood in front of his master's door, staring at the solid black metal plating  
for a long time. Finally, taking a deep breath, he pulled up his arm and rapped quietly on  
the frame.  
  
"Enter," a dark, demanding voice answered from inside.   
  
Obeying, Lysander gently pressed his palm onto the entrance panel, and the doors slid  
open easily with a soft metallic swish. He took three steps inside, then almost bent double  
in a long bow. "...You wished to speak with me, Master Kragok?" he said softly, eyes still  
on the ground, almost afraid to face the radiating crimson eye upon him.  
  
Before him was a large black steel throne, crafted by the masters of the legion for their  
great master, descendant of Lord Dimitri. In the dark chair, he lounged comfortably, one leg  
over the long arm of the throne, and his one real hand holding a crystalline wine glass,   
half-way full of blood-red wine. His other monstrous metal hand, more like a silver   
three-fingered claw, rested lightly in his lap.  
  
"Yes, yes I did." Kragok said coolly, twirling his wine glass slowly with two fingers,  
causing the liquid to swirl. "I wanted to speak with you about your sister."  
  
Lysander's heart skipped a beat. "My... My sister, Master?" He mumbled.  
  
"Yes, yes." He said, seeming to have more interest in his drink than the echidna soldier   
before him. "Julie-Su. You told me once you were her brother."  
  
Lysander gulped. "Yes, Master. But... She was killed in the battle with the Guardian..."  
  
Kragok laughed, and took a long swill of his wine, still not looking directly at him.  
  
Lysander's eyebrows arched downward. He looked up at his master and tried to retain his   
anger. 'Laughing about death...' He thought solemnly. Suddenly his anger was flushed away with   
fear again as he found Kragok now staring directly at him, wearing a deep scowl.  
  
"Do you take me for a fool, soldier?" He asked, in a low, threatening tone.  
  
"No, Master." Lysander said quickly, returning to his bow.  
  
Kragok's eye flashed as it narrowed. "Your sister is not dead." He said darkly.  
  
Lysander's eyes widened in surprise, and he resisted the urge to look up at him again.  
"Julie-Su is alive, Master...? But how do you know this?"  
  
Kragok laughed again. "Oh, for one, I never really believed her dead. A very hard one  
to tame, that girl. She has tried to escape me many times. Especially when she was still just  
a child. I had her fitted with a tracking device long ago. I almost didn't remember it until  
just a few days ago..."  
  
'Oh no...' Lysander thought.  
  
"She is alive, and very well it seems. She is on the Floating Island. We will return  
her to her proper place in time... As for you..." Kragok paused, then commanded, "... Look up at   
me soldier."  
  
Hesitantly, Lysander turned his head upwards.  
  
"Remove your hood." Kragok ordered.  
  
Slowly, Lysander reached up and pulled the masking black drape down from over his  
head, letting his long violet quills slide out, a few strays falling over his dark eyes.  
  
Kragok stared at him for a while, and Lysander stared back, unblinking, finding  
confidence he didn't know he had well up inside him.  
  
A small smile formed on the master echidna's lips, and he took another sip of his  
drink idly, and wiped the remnants off his mouth with the back of his real hand. "You are  
quite brave soldier, to lie to your master." He said slowly, meeting Lysander's gaze again,   
still smiling.  
  
Lysander's sudden found confidence wavered. "...Lie to you, Master?" He mumbled, "I  
spoke only what I thought was the truth..."  
  
Kragok's eye flashed again. "Again you lie to me."  
  
Lysander's throat tightened. "...N-no, Master..."  
  
There was a long, deadly silence, the only sound filling the room the far-off thrumming  
of the battleship's hyperengines. Suddenly, the quiet was broken like shattered glass, with  
Kragok's sharp order.  
  
"Leave me." He growled.  
  
Lysander blinked at him in surprise and did not move.  
  
"NOW." Kragok snarled, tossing his glass on the smooth dark floor causing it to shatter  
like the silence.  
  
With that, Lysander bolted from the room, and didn't stop running until he reached his  
bed chamber. He flung open the door, and slammed it behind him. Panting, he put his back up  
against the door, and let out a heavy sigh.   
  
'Julie-Su...' He thought sadly, 'Why didn't you just stay... If you hadn't have followed   
me, then you would have never been in this mess... And now Kragok will surely have us both   
killed.'  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
"Oooooh! This is so much fun!" The little red-head girl squealed, as she moved the  
tiny carved figure onto the small crystal board. "You're move, Acey!"  
  
Kayoss watched with disgust as the tall, white-haired young man dressed in an oddly  
formal white suit, patted Venus on the head as they played their stupid game.  
  
"Sure, sweetie!" He said smiling, and rolling the pink colored dice. "But that  
was quite a good move you just made, involving the girl echidna and the wolf."  
  
She giggled. "Oh thank you! But your duel with the Princess and Queen is shaping up  
oh so nicely!"  
  
"Oh, thank you," He said smiling cooly, "But do not worry, all will end in peace."  
  
Kayoss, turned away. "You two make me sick." She grumbled, straightening the wrinkles  
in her fine verdant gown.  
  
"Is there a problem, darling?" Ace asked, smiling up at her on her emerald pedestal.  
  
She refused to look at him. "You and your stupid game. You call that a game?"  
  
"Well, darling, if you think you could do better, you're welcome to join in." He offered.  
  
She thought about it for a minute, then turned to them on the smooth gemstone floor,   
wearing a dark grin. "I think I just might."  
  
"Good, good!" Ace said, holding up a hand to help her down. "Please come, and you may  
have my turn, darling."  
  
She took his hand, and slid off her stand gracefully, letting her long lime-colored  
train flow downward off it's edge like a green waterfall of silks. Very ladylike, she folded  
her skirts around her legs, and sat down between Ace and Venus.  
  
"How about you, Rona?" Venus yelled across the large, spherical room, to where a  
tall pale woman, rather scantily clad in a black and violet tight-filling dress, sat with  
her back facing them. "Do you wanna play with us too?"  
  
She turned halfway towards them, her long face, thin black lips, and electric amethyst   
eyes frowning darkly. "Play with you?" She asked, in her low voice.  
  
"Yes, oh please, Rona!" Venus pleaded, "It is ever so much fun!"  
  
Rona sighed, closing her eyes of a moment. "I suppose. There isn't much more to do  
in this prison. It was so much more stimulating when I was in control of that robot."  
  
"Come on, and stop whining Rona." Kayoss hissed, "It's not like we wanted you two  
to come here and invade our privacy. It was the Guardian's fault."  
  
Rona frowned again, and slowly made her way over to them, her high-heeled boots  
clicking on the mirror-like floor. Kayoss grabbed the dice quickly as the tall woman reached for   
them.  
  
"My turn!" The emerald-haired woman growled, and regaining her proper-manner, gently   
tossed the two game pieces onto the board.  
  
"Oh!" Venus giggled, clutching her short pink skirts. "You got double-diamonds!"  
  
Kayoss grinned, and lifted her hand to move the figures on the board.   
  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
"YOU!" Lupe growled, her surprise turning into anger. "What are YOU doing here?"  
  
"Ah, well, y'see... Long story, tell you some other time! See ya!" Clawz said quickly,  
beginning to back up. He turned to run away, but his path was blocked by two rather large  
wolves, one who was already holding Nack rather tightly around the neck. Clawz gulped again.  
  
Lupe strode over to where he was cornered and grabbing him by the shoulder, spun him  
around to face her again.  
  
"Hi again, Loops." Clawz said, smiling nervously, "You know, I really missed you an--"  
  
She slapped him across the face, harshly.  
  
"Hell, woman!" He hissed, cradling his cheek. Blinking, he looked at her again. Man did  
she look pissed... "Eh... Well, I guess I d'served dat.." He mumbled.  
  
"Oh, you deserve much more than that..." She snarled, her ears flattening against the  
back of her head, and her lips curling up to bear her sharp, canine teeth.  
  
"Wait a second here!" Sally said, breaking into the argument and standing between the  
wildcat and wolf. "Someone mind explaining just WHAT is going on here?"  
  
"That is what I like to know." The Amazon Queen said smoothly despite her broken English,  
as she stood up, towering above them all with her height, added to because of the platform.  
  
Lupe turned to the queen sourly. "What I would like to know," She growled nodding to   
Clawz and Nack behind her, "Is what this... This scum... Is doing here?"  
  
"Scum?" Clawz mumbled to himself, "That's new."  
  
"Clawz just happens to be one of our best new soldiers, Lupe. You have something against   
him?" Sally defended. Clawz flashed her a smile.  
  
Lupe's eyes widened in surprise again. "You mean he is...?"  
  
"...A freedom fighter now, Loopy." Clawz finished for her.  
  
"You can't be serious!" She said, half to Clawz, and half to Princess Sally. "He's a   
lying, cheating, stealing-"  
  
"Was, Loops. Was." He corrected.  
  
She scowled at him. "Do you want to get slapped again?"  
  
He backed off a little.  
  
"Look, Lupe, just what exactly do you have against him, anyway?" Sally asked, putting a   
hand on the wolf's shoulder.  
  
"What DON'T I have against him, would be more appropriate Princess." Lupe said,   
continuing to frown in Clawz's direction.  
  
"I don't understand..." Sally said, "How do you know him?"  
  
Lupe sighed, her fierce demeanor fading a little. "Oh, well. I knew him long before I   
met up with you Princess. He and his 'bother' met up with our pack several times when my   
father was still the leader. Oh, I must have been just about sixteen or so... I can't remember.   
We gave them shelter once, during a sandstorm for a few days... And to repay us they stole   
practically everything we had..."  
  
Clawz's ears drooped. "Look Loops, it wasn't my idea!" He pleaded. "Nack said that-"  
  
"Hey, hey! Don't try to blame it on--URK!" Nack began, but was cut off as the wolf   
holding him tightened his grip around the weasel's neck.  
  
Clawz turned back from looking at him to find Lupe staring at him again, but her anger   
had been replaced with something different. A kind of sadness behind those hard gray eyes...  
  
He reached out to touch her, but she turned away suddenly and began walking towards  
the queen. Clawz followed her. "Hey, c'mon Loops, I--"  
  
"Enough of this." The tall tigress interrupted. "As much as I am enjoying this  
little 'soap opera', the tournament cannot delayed any longer."  
  
Sally caught Clawz by the shoulder. "She's right, Clawz... We can sort this out later."  
She said, glancing quickly between him and Lupe, now on the other side of the platform, leaning  
against a column with her back to them.  
  
Frowning, Clawz looked down at her, then silently walked back to where the wolf thug was  
still holding Nack off the ground by his neck. Clawz stared at the large wolf for a second, then  
cleared his throat. The wolf grunted, then let go of the weasel's neck suddenly, causing him to  
fall to the ground, gasping for air.  
  
"Thanks." Nack weezed, rather sarcastically.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
"So you were a Dark Legionnaire, but you quit?" Archimedes questioned.  
  
"Uh, hello, yes. I all ready told you that." Julie-Su grumbled, ringing out her  
wet uniform. Now, after changing into something dry, namely her black sports-bra, green  
combat vest, matching boots, and yellow belt, she sat on the couch as Knuckles and Archimedes  
interrogated her.  
  
"Why did you quit?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"What's it to you?" She snapped back.  
  
"Just answer the question." Archimedes said, gruffly.  
  
"Because I wanted to." She retorted.  
  
Knuckles sighed. "Mind explaining why you wanted to quit?"  
  
"Because I didn't like it." She answered.  
  
Archimedes was growing very annoyed. He thought a moment then spoke, "I wouldn't think  
a shady organization like the Dark Legion would let it's members just quit, and go off   
scott-free..."  
  
She flinched. "...They don't usually. But... I was an exception." She said, choosing  
her words wisely.  
  
"Why were you an exception?" Archimedes continued.  
  
She slumped back into the couch with frustration. "I don't know!" She grumbled, closing  
her eyes and rubbing her temples. "Kragok... Liked me, I guess."  
  
Knuckles and Archimedes exchanged suspicious glances.   
  
"I find that rather unconvincing." Knuckles said.  
  
She opened her eyes and leaned forward in his direction, frowning. "Is it so hard to  
believe that someone could like me?" She asked.  
  
"Uh, no no.. That's not what I meant!" Knuckles stuttered, leaning away from her a bit,  
"I just mean that... That I didn't think Kragok could like anyone."  
  
"Hmmph," She snorted. "Well, he liked me."  
  
Archimedes sighed again. "I find that this routine is getting old... How about we  
take a break, eh?" He suggested.  
  
"Good idea." Knuckles agreed, standing up and heading for the door. "If you two don't   
mind, I need some air..."  
  
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Julie-Su said standing up, "You're not leaving me alone with  
firebug here!"  
  
Archimedes frowned up at her from where he stood upon the table.  
  
"Stay here." Knuckles warned, turning back to hold up a hand to stop her. "I need to be   
alone for a while."  
  
Julie-Su sat down reluctantly, under his commanding, icy gaze.  
  
Satisfied, Knuckles nodded. "Now stay here. I'll be back in a while."  
  
"Oh, wait a second Knuckles," Archimedes spoke up, just as the echidna began to walk out   
the door. "I have something to say."  
  
Stubbornly, Knuckles turned around. "What?"  
  
"I am never coming to wake you up in the morning ever again." The ant declared.  
  
Knuckles smiled weakly. "Good."  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  



	15. Finding Your Way

  
  
Chapter fifteen: "Finding Your Way"  
  
  
  
  
Shelia sat up and wiped her eyes, sniffling. She looked around at her surroundings with   
confusion for a moment. She was laying on a short rush-woven bedmat on top of a small bed of  
hay in a small, rather plain and rugged looking straw hut. There was nothing else in the room   
except for the bed, and a few large, egg-shaped baskets and bags that hung from wooden hooks   
attached to the ceiling, and a very small, blackened fire, just barely burning in the middle   
of the room on the soft earthen floor.  
  
"Wh-where am I?" She said slowly to herself.  
  
"Don't worry. You're safe here." Said a voice suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere.  
  
Shelia blinked, and abruptly a young sliver-furred female lynx appeared standing there   
in the middle of the room beside the fire. No flash or poof of smoke or anything like that, just   
she wasn't there before Shelia had closed her eyes, but was when she opened them again, from a   
split-second bat of her eyes.  
  
Shelia gasped. "Who are you?" She asked softly.  
  
The feline smiled kindly. "It's all right. Don't be afraid. My name is Theresa. What is   
yours?" She asked, in a gentle voice.  
  
Shelia just stared at her for a moment. The lynx wasn't very tall, about mid-height, and   
slim. She had a short, bobbed tail that only reached her mid-thighs. She was wearing just light   
colored cloth wrapped around her hips, tied in front, the knot decorated with a small opal   
bauble, carved into the shape of a long-necked bird. Her hair was a reddish-blond, and reached   
the small of her back, and was tied with a ribbon the same color of the cloth on her waist. Her   
body looked so young, but something, something about her told Shelia that she was much older  
than she seemed. Maybe it was her deep, slivery blue eyes...  
  
"... My name is Shelia." She answered finally, and carefully. "How... How did I get here?"  
  
"I found you asleep. In the forest." Theresa answered, still smiling.  
  
Shelia looked down. She felt odd. She sniffled again, and wiped her eyes. Somewhere in   
the back of her mind she could feel a tugging pain. An image flashed in and out of her mind.   
"Knuckles..." She mumbled softly.  
  
"What?" Theresa asked, tilting her head slightly.  
  
Shelia looked up at her. "Oh... Oh, nothing."  
  
Theresa sat down beside her on the bed. "Something wrong? I mean... Why were you just   
out there sleeping on the wet ground? Did something happen to you?"  
  
Shelia looked down again, and twisted the blanket in her hands. "... I just got lost...   
That's all." She mumbled, unconvincingly.  
  
"It was a boy, wasn't it?"   
  
Shelia looked up at Theresa, and blinked. "What?"  
  
"You've been crying. Over a boy." She said simply.  
  
Shelia looked at her blankly for a moment, then frowned and looked away. "It doesn't   
matter anymore." She said slowly, her voice tight in her throat. "He's gone."  
  
Theresa sighed. "I thought so... What happened between you two?"  
  
"... I don't mean to be rude, but... I don't even know you..." Shelia said, still   
refusing to look at the odd silver feline.  
  
"Well, I am just trying to help you. And what harm could it do if you told me? They say   
it's always best to talk to someone... It's not like I will tell anyone. Your story is safe   
with me, Amazon's honor... "  
  
Shelia thought for a few seconds silently, then looked at her. Theresa was still smiling   
her soft smile. Shelia blinked, and the feline seemed to flicker in and out of vision, like a  
hologram or something. But yet she could feel her weight on the bed, her warmth, and smell her  
light scent. Something odd... Her eyes... They seemed almost old. Motherly. Shelia shook her  
head. She must just be seeing things. "Well..." She mumbled finally.  
  
"You said he left...?"  
  
Shelia sighed and began. "...Yes, he left. To go somewhere far away."  
  
"...But that isn't all the story is it?" Theresa asked. Her voice was so gentle, yet   
commanding and reassuring at the same time.  
  
"...No." She stuttered, "... Before he left... I told him something..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Shelia sniffled, holding back her tears. "I... I told him that I loved him."  
  
"Oh my..." Theresa said, looking sympathetic, "... And I suppose he didn't feel the same?"  
  
Shelia choked, and let out a sob. "... He didn't say... Just looked at me like I was   
crazy... Then he... Then he just..."  
  
"...Left?" Theresa asked, softly.  
  
Shelia, unable to speak any longer, just nodded, and buried her face in her hands. She   
cried for several minutes before she realized that the young-bodied, wise-eyed female had taken   
her into her arms, and let her cry onto her shoulder. Oddly enough, when Shelia did realize   
this, she didn't seem to care. Somehow, it felt good to take comfort in this girl she never   
knew. Theresa... Where had she heard that name before...? It reminded her of her mother...   
  
"Shelia... You did love him, didn't you?" The lynx said softly.  
  
"... Yes. Yes, I did..." Shelia sniffled. "But he..."  
  
"I have the feeling he probably felt the same."   
  
Shelia wiped her eyes. "What?" She asked, leaning back and looking at her.  
  
Theresa smiled. "Sometimes, for some it is hard for them to express that kind of  
emotion... In words at least... But that does not mean they do not feel them."  
  
Shelia sniffled. "You really think so...?"  
  
Theresa nodded. "I should know. My mate, long ago told me so many times that he loved  
me... But I could never say it back." Her soft smile faded, and she looked out the window. "It  
wasn't because I did not love him... I loved him with all my heart. It was just that... I had   
obligations."  
  
Shelia looked at her with intrigue. Just how old was this girl anyway? "You? Really?   
But..." She began to question.  
  
"--But we are not here to talk of me, Shelia. I have a feeling... I get them   
sometimes... That things will work out for you and your love, at least. If you have faith."  
Theresa said softly, her odd crystal eyes smiling. "Good things happen to those like you,  
Shelia, who walk in the light. You have a strong faith, I can feel it."  
  
Shelia blinked at her again, and Theresa flickered again. What...? Did she just see  
wings...? Feathers...? She was gone, and then there again, sitting in front of her on the  
bed again, as if she had been there forever. Solid. Wings...?  
  
"Who are you?" Shelia asked again, squinting at the feline. 'What are you?' She wanted  
to ask.  
  
Theresa just smiled. "I am who I say. I am only a servant, as are you."  
  
"...What?" Shelia asked. Her voice seemed distant now. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Remember what you were taught by your mother, Shelia. Remember, and always keep  
your faith..."  
  
"How... How do you know my mother...?" She said, but she could barely hear her own  
voice. Fading... Fading into a soft light... She felt feathers brush her face, and watched  
through a haze as Theresa stood with beautiful white wings...  
  
And then she was gone.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Helena gave a start as he touched her shoulder. She turned quickly, but with a deadly  
grace. She softened immediately, seeing it was only Lysander. His hood was pulled up,   
concealing most of his face, but she could always tell it was him by the thin stray quill that  
always hung out of place, and fell outside the darkness of his hood.  
  
"I need to talk to you." The tall, dark violet-furred echidna whispered.   
  
"Now? But I'm on duty..." She said, looking around nervously. If they were caught   
socializing during duty hours, they would surely be severely punished. If he was even found  
in this sector at this time of day...  
  
"It's important." He hissed.  
  
Taking one last cautious glance down the hall, she stepped out from behind her computer  
console and pulled him into a small storage room. It was a bit cramped, made only to house  
spare discs, graphers, touchboards and such, not two adult echidnas. She flicked on the light  
and slid the door shut behind them.  
  
"Now..." She said, staring at him, her voice flat. "What's so important to risk your  
hide to speak with me about?"  
  
  
He pulled down his hood, revealing his pale-colored face and grim frown.  
  
She grew more concerned, seeing his expression. "Ly.... You look white as a sheet," She  
said touching his face gingerly, "What did... Master... Say to you?"  
  
"Julie-Su is alive, Helena." He said breathlessly, "She's alive."  
  
The female just stared at him a moment, then smiled slightly. "Well, that's wonderful..."  
She said, then realized he wasn't sharing the happiness, and frowned. "Isn't it...?"  
  
He shook his head. "No... Kragok knows this because he put a tracking device on her. He's  
going to find her, Helena. Find her and probably kill her, and me when he does!"  
  
Her frown deepened, but the level of her cool voice never seemed to change. "Oh no..."   
She mumbled. "But why you...?"  
  
"Because I helped her, and he knows it." He said, looking around nervously, as if he  
suspected spies to be listening among the computer parts. "This is all my fault... If I would  
have just never left home..."  
  
"Quit blaming yourself. You do it too often." Helena said, smoothly.  
  
"I don't know what to do." He mumbled, "For hours I just sat in my cabin, terrified. I  
can't help her... I can't even help myself. I just had to talk to someone. That's why I came  
here... To you... You're mixed up in this too, you know. Kragok saw you with me this morning...   
And he remembers you..."  
  
She shuddered, but recovered quickly. She could be strong when she wanted to be. "There  
is not much he can do to me, or make me do, that I haven't all ready done." She said, although  
not meeting his eyes.  
  
"We have to do something, Helena. Something. Before he has us all killed, or you put  
back into position as his... Servant..." He said, slowly.   
  
She suppressed another shiver. "I suppose there's nothing we can do for now..." She  
said softly.   
  
"I'm sorry, Helena." Lysander mumbled.  
  
She blinked. "For what?"  
  
"For making you a part of this... I don't know why you even tolerate me..." He said  
sadly, trying to move to leave, but bumping into the shelf behind him instead, nearly  
knocking over a boxfull of chip-soderers.   
  
She smiled weakly. "I don't know why either..." She said, softly in her cool breezy   
voice, as she pressed against him. "I suppose it's because you're the only man beside Kragok   
with a mind of his own here..."  
  
"Don't say that. I do not. I'm just like everybody else. No different." He insisted,  
all though it was a little unconvincing coming though his blush.  
  
She laughed. "Don't try to hide your heart... Still after all this time, after what  
we've done together... You get nervous..."  
  
His blush deepened, feeling her breasts against his chest. "I'm not any different than  
any other soldier here... Not any better..." He managed to say.  
  
"You don't belong here, Ly... You are different. Maybe we could leave together, like   
Julie... Before Kragok--"  
  
He put his hand over her mouth quickly. "Don't say that! Don't even think it! We'll  
certainly be killed then!"  
  
She sighed again, stepping back and pushing the panel door open again. "You have courage  
in you, Ly... I just wish you could show it more often..."  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Slowly, Antoine stood up and took his place in the center of the huge stone   
platform and drew his sword with a soft metallic swish from the sheath at his side. He raised   
it to press the flatside against his chest, and bowed to his opponent, as his father had taught  
him so many years ago. She eyed him without fear, and did the same, her long thin saber   
reaching from where it's hilt lay between her breasts, all the way to about a foot above her   
head where the sharpened point rested, glinting in the mid-day sun.  
  
Rising from the deep bow, and meeting her eye, he took his stance, legs apart, one  
slightly turned outward for balance, left arm out to the side, and right arm holding the  
sword delicately in his hand, wrist loose and fist tight. He watched silently as she took a   
similar stance.  
  
"Enguard, Madam." He said smoothly, and swept forward with a grace that denied his  
clumsy reputation.  
  
She darted to the side, quick on her toes, and turned to face him again. She was young,  
but still several years his senior, but rather short. She was a mink, dark sepia brown in  
fur, with a thin muzzle and small, but strong limbs. Her eyes were dark, almost black, and   
shone with a deadly gleam, as pretty as she was. Although short, her body was long, torso  
exaggerated by her ermine figure. She wore an open red coat, with a cream white cravat around  
her neck, and tight-fitting breeches to match. She smiled at him, flicking her point at him  
playfully. "Touché, Monsuire..." She purred.  
  
Trying to concentrate, he restanced. This wasn't going to be as easy as he had  
anticipated. He ignored her words, her face, and her alluring frame. He ignored the crowd  
watching them from outside the stone circle. He formed a void within his mind. Nothing  
existed except himself, his sword, and the opponent...  
  
Lunging fiercely at her this time, he almost caught her by surprise. At the last second  
before the blade met her shoulder, she parried, defending herself with a quick stroke.  
  
He attacked again, with another strong lunge, but she was ready for him this time, and   
anticipating his move, struck at him back, on his side.  
  
Surprised, Antoine stepped backwards. She had just barely missed his rib with that one.  
Frowning, he stepped forward again, and swung at her. She met his sword with fast parries,  
and they fought up and down the courtyard, swinging and clashing, neither giving up an inch.  
  
Taking a ragged breath, Antoine stepped back as she took a swing at his middle. According  
to the rules their queen had set, the first one with so much as a scratch or without a sword was   
out. He frowned and concentrated. She wasn't going to win. She wasn't going to win, not against   
him.  
  
Gathering the energy he had left, he plunged forward toward her, taking a swift side   
swipe. She caught it just barley, pushing against his blade fiercely, but he didn't let up, and   
continued pushing down on her guard until she was forced to take a jump backwards. Taking   
advantage of the time it took her to restance, he dashed forward and struck her sword firmly,   
flinging it from her hand and across the stone floor. Before she could dive foe it, he pinned   
her against one of the pillars, his point against her neck.  
  
"Pardon moi, madam..." He said smiling wryly, "But I believe, I win."  
  
All the confidence had faded from her dark eyes and replaced with fear. She closed her   
eyes and awaited the blow. She gasped, and clutched at her throat as his blade slashed across   
it. She stood there, eyes still closed, waiting for The pain to come... But none ever did.   
Slowly she opened her eyes to find her cravat lying in front of her on the ground, cut in two.   
She blinked, looked down at her hands, and seeing no blood, sighed with relief.  
  
About that time, the side of the platform reserved for the Freedom Fighters burst into   
cheers. Antoine smiled triumphantly, and re-sheathed his sword. Seconds later, Bunnie plowed into   
him, giving him a bone-crunching hug.  
  
"Oh Sugah, y'all did it!!!" She giggled happily.  
  
"Oii... Merci, cherie..." Antoine wheezed, "But you is crushing my rib cage..."  
  
She blushed, and loosened her grip. "Sorry, Sugah... Ah'm just so excited! You won!" She   
said smiling, then kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Now it was his turn to blush.  
  
"I have to admit it Ant," Sonic said, "You did good."  
  
"I think that's he 'did well', Sonic." Sally corrected.  
  
Sonic frowned at her. "Well, whatever it is, he did it."  
  
Antoine, smiling weakly and still blushing, put one arm behind his head. "Was I, as you   
say, 'way past cool', Sonique?" He asked.  
  
Sonic frowned slightly. "Now I wouldn't go that fa-"  
  
Sally elbowed him in the stomach.  
  
"Okay, okay!" He grumbled, shooting her a glare, "You... You were cool Antoine, way   
past." He admitted, rubbing his abdomen.  
  
Antoine's weak smile turned into a grin. "I'll be remembering this, Sonique! Cherie,   
you are a witnessed!"  
  
Bunnie laughed, "Ah'll have'ta write it down an' get it notarized."  
  
They all laughed, and congratulated him. They didn't even realize that the queen had   
stepped down from her throne and was standing now in front of them, watching them darkly.  
  
The tigress smiled, a hint of contempt in her voice. "Congratulations, Sally-Hime." She   
said suddenly, touching Sally's shoulder. "But are you prepared for next event? Where is your   
girl with the gun?"  
  
Sally looked up at her, and the smile on her face fell. "My troops are still searching   
for her..."  
  
The tigeress' smile widened slightly. "I hope you find her." She said, "The next event   
take place in half the hour."  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  



	16. Guardians and Angels

  
  
Chapter sixteen: "Guardians and Angels"  
  
  
  
Knuckles stared at the four gems in front of him sadly. He shifted, then laid down on   
the cool crystal floor and closed his eyes. Sleep hadn't come well last night. There were too   
many things to think about. Too many... Complications. Whatever happened to being all alone,   
guarding the sole emerald, without any Freedom Fighters, fire ants, robots, or females to   
worry about. It was lost now. Lost among many other things.   
  
He looked up at the emerald and frowned. And that cursed thing. Why hadn't it just   
stayed the simple good thing he thought it was? He sighed. Now nothing was simple.  
  
He sat up, as if a resolution came to him. He stared at the gems each in turn for a   
while, inspecting them again. He could feel something different about each of them. Once, his   
father said that Guardians could communicate with the Master Emerald. He thought about that.   
Communicate with it? He stared at it's verdant, glowing angles. How can a stone communicate?   
That wasn't logical... but then again, a lot of things weren't...  
  
He had always sensed things about the island. Sometimes he could feel someone stepping   
onto the surface... Sometimes he could feel the danger. Sometimes he could feel the pain of a   
fire in the woods, or the refreshing taste of the rain... But he had always thought it was   
just because he was linked to the island somehow. But now, as he thought about it... Maybe he   
simply had a link with the emerald...  
  
He shuddered, remembering what Shelia had said about it being evil. He stood and walked   
over to it, and caressed it's gleaming surface. How could something so beautiful be evil...?   
Julie-Su's image popped into his head, but he quickly shook that away.  
  
To communicate with an emerald...  
  
Once, long ago, he had been able to use telepathy. His father had taught him a little.   
It was an acquired trait among guardians... But after his father had left him those long,   
lonely years ago, he had lost that talent with his memories. He could no longer open the   
secret door to the Chaos Chamber with simply his mind as he had as a child. That too had been   
lost...  
  
Or had it?  
  
He quickly took his hands from the emerald as a sudden image flooded his mind. He   
stepped back and stared at the gem, with wonder. A woman... With green hair and an evil   
smile... Playing a game...  
  
He shook his head and sat down, trying to convince himself that he was simply seeing   
things, but an itching in the back of his mind told him he was not. He quickly silenced it,   
and cleared his mind. He had too much to think about all ready than some weird   
vision.  
  
He glanced at the ruby, and felt a wave of guilt wash over him... Shelia... But that too   
he pushed to the back of his brain, along with the image of Julie-Su, and the itching. Too   
complicated.  
  
That's why he had left his home, and Julie and Archimedes. He just had to leave, get   
away from the complications. He needed to clear his mind and relax...  
  
He laid down again. Slowly, he let his eyes close.   
  
  
  
  
******   
  
  
  
Clawz was barely aware of the celebrating in the arena behind him. His mind was elsewhere  
at the moment. He sat with his back to the platform, and his big feline ears drooping behind   
his head. His sunglasses were in his hands, and he looked down at them as if examining them.  
But he didn't even realize he was doing it. He looked a bit odd there, a huge brown wildcat  
sitting in the dirt sulking.  
  
Nack, who was sitting beside him, watched him with a concerned frown. He poked his  
brother in the shoulder. "You all right?" He asked.  
  
"No." Clawz grumbled, not looking up.  
  
Nack sighed. "What are you gonna do, jus' sit around an mope all over again over dat  
wolf girl?"  
  
Clawz's frown just deepened.   
  
"Look, ya jus' gotta put it all behind ya." Nack said, "I mean... You two... Weren't  
that serious were you? I mean... You never told me just what happened b'tween--"  
  
Clawz interrupted him with a cutting glare. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?" He  
growled.  
  
Nack held up his hands in front of him and backed off. "Okay, okay!" He said, "I was  
'jus tryin' t'help..."  
  
"Well quit just trying to help." Clawz grumbled, turning back to look at the ground in  
front of him, "You just mess everything up."  
  
Nack frowned. "Owch. I think dat was rather unnecessary. It ain't like I'm respons'ble  
fer yer women problems." He retorted.  
  
Clawz turned back to him with a even fiercer glare than the last. The weasel wisely  
retreated, and the wildcat was left alone again to his thoughts of the past... He thought  
he had put everything behind him, started a whole new life. But things kept coming back...  
First Nack again, and now Lupe...  
  
He jumped as Sonic suddenly was in front of him.  
  
Clawz frowned at him, the same as he had his brother.  
  
"What's eating at you, Clawz?" The hedgehog asked, undeterred by the wildcat's   
threatening gaze.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." Clawz repeated.  
  
Sonic still seemed unswayed in his attempt to get something out of the big cat. "So...  
You and Lupe... Had a 'thing', eh?" He said, smiling slightly.  
  
Clawz continued to frown. "I said, I don't want to talk about it." He growled.  
  
"Fine, fine." Sonic said, "But at least come with me, will ya? It'll get things off   
your mind."  
  
"Come with you where?" Clawz sighed.  
  
"To go look for Shelia again." He answered, "Let's go. We don't have much time before  
the next event."  
  
Still grumbling, Clawz rose to his feet slowly, and followed his fast friend into the  
forest. "Well, where should we look first, Spikes?" Clawz asked, actually kind of happy to get  
away from his thoughts of the past.  
  
Sonic tapped his foot, thinking. "We all ready searched everywhere... But Sal said to  
double-check, so... I we'll just check the same areas again."  
  
"Exciting." Clawz muttered.  
  
Sonic nodded, agreeing. "It's better than sitting around doing nothing. Come on, this  
way." He pointed down a thin, dirt path leading away from the stone platform arena. They walked  
along the trail for a few minutes, until they came to a small clearing. Sonic gasped in   
surprise.  
  
There, laying in the grass with her eyes closed, was Shelia.  
  
"She wasn't there before!" Sonic said, rushing to her side. "I looked over this area  
a thousand times, and she wasn't here!"  
  
Clawz bent down beside him and they looked at her. "Is she just asleep, or did she faint  
again?" He asked.  
  
Sonic shrugged and gently tapped her on the head. She stirred, then fluttering her  
eyelashes, opened her eyes. She stared at them a moment, obviously confused, then sat up  
quickly and looked around.  
  
"Shelia, you all right?" Sonic asked.  
  
She blinked at him, then put a hand to her head, still looking quite confused. "What..?  
What happened...?" She mumbled.  
  
"That's what we'd like to know." Sonic said, putting a easing hand on her shoulder.  
  
She frowned, perplexed. "I saw... I saw an angel..." She mumbled.  
  
They stared at her.   
  
Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Uh... Maybe you got hit on the head again..." He said.  
  
She sniffled. "I... I don't think so..."  
  
"Well, come on, we better get you back to the arena. Sal will be glad to see you.  
We've been looking all over the place for you." Sonic said, helping her to her feet.  
  
She stumbled, and almost fell. Clawz caught her.  
  
"I feel so funny..." She mumbled, hand still to her head.  
  
Clawz picked her up gently. "We better get her to a doc first..."  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"Well, she seems to be all right." The middle-aged raccoon female said, as she inspected  
Shelia inside the small grass hut. She was the resident Amazon medicine woman. She spoke English  
well enough, but by the sound of her accent, it was not her first language. "Maybe a cold, but  
that is the only phsyical aliment I can find."  
  
"No injuries at all?" Sally asked, doubtful.  
  
"None." The doctor said, "But because of her past head injuries... And these visions  
she claimed to have had, plus the cold, I recommend for her to stay in bed. At least for the  
rest of the day."  
  
Sally's hopes sunk. "I thought you might say as much... But I don't understand, if  
she has no injuries, how come the regression of her formal... Uh... Mental injury?"  
  
"I am not sure..." The doctor said, uncertainly. "I have not dealt with many head cases   
like this. Not since Serafelle had a similar aliment."  
  
"But it wasn't in my head!" Shelia insisted, "I saw her, I know I did!"  
  
"You said another girl had a problem like Shelia's?" Sally asked, ignoring the red   
vixen's comment.  
  
"Oh, yes. In the history of our tribe, many have seen visions of that same woman." The  
doctor said, nodding.  
  
"Really?" Shelia and Sally said, almost in unison.  
  
"Yes. Some say she is the spirit of the first queen of our tribe, Theresa of the Woods.  
An incredible leader was she, and quite the devoted servant of the Creator."  
  
"That was her! That's the girl I saw! She even said her name was Theresa!" Shelia  
said, practically raving.  
  
"Settle down now, Miss!" The doctor advised, holding Shelia's shoulders. "You need to  
get some rest."  
  
"No, no I'm fine! I'm really..." She began, but started to trail off as soon as she  
did, her vision blurring. "Really... I'm really okay."  
  
"Please, doctor, we can learn more about what she saw later, but right now we need  
her to compete for us in the tournament." Sally said.  
  
"I don't recommend that course of action, Princess..." The doctor said, frowning. "It  
seems to me that she is in no condition to be shooting a gun."  
  
Shelia frowned, her vision returning momentarily. "I... I can do it, Sally!" She   
said, stubbornly.  
  
"There, you see!" Sally said, and taking Shelia by the hand and practically dragging  
her out back into the arena. "It's time to show that Queen what us Freedom Fighters are made  
of!"  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
"Well, darling, it seems you get to roll again." Ace said, keeping the growing want  
to frown at bay with a weary smile. Kayoss was good at this game. Too good.  
  
"Oh, thank you!" She said sweetly, her emerald eyes flashing with a greedy delight. She  
scooped up the pink six-sided dice, and tossed them again onto the floor.  
  
Venus leaned over the two round boards and watched the dice as they fell, inspecting the  
results. "Ohh..." She mumbled, for once the perkiness worn from her voice. "Thirteen..."  
  
Kayoss' evil grin widened. "...I've got you now, Guardian..." She purred dangerously,  
as she took a large green emerald gamepiece, and jabbed it's point into the center of the  
smaller gameboard.  
  
The pink and white checkered board cracked, then, the emerald melted into the crevice,  
and formed a tiny structure in the center, where it had been driven. The angles of the   
jewel slanted upward and grew, transforming into tiny towers....  
  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
  
Feeling only slightly better, Knuckles walked out of the Chaos Chamber to check and make   
sure Julie-Su and Archimedes hadn't started any more fires. That strange vision had unnerved  
him, but at least he had gottten a little rest. He would have to talk with Archimedes about the  
woman he saw inside the emerald...  
  
Suddenly, just as he opened the door to his house, he felt a shock go through him. He   
staggered, and almost fell backwards to the ground.  
  
"What the...?" He mumbled.  
  
He barely had time to recover before, like some sort of an aftershock, an earthquake  
pulsed though the entire island, shaking the treetops and rattling the rafters.  
  
Julie-Su and Archimedes tumbled out of the house seconds later. Knuckles made his  
way towards them, the ground still rumbling with tremors.  
  
"Are you all right?" He asked Julie, offering his hand to help her up.  
  
She frowned at his hand, and stood up by herself. "I don't need any help." She answered,   
stiffly.  
  
Another earthquake boomed in the distance, and she fell forward, but Knuckles caught her.  
They stared at each other for a moment, then Julie-Su shoved him away.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!" She yelled, looking away from him, trying to hide   
her blush.  
  
"I don't know!" Knuckles returned, "It seems to be an earthquake, but... The emerald was   
fine when I left it. Acting a bit odd, maybe but..."  
  
Some sort of explosion was heard in the distance, and a bright light flashed, and flooded  
over the entire island like a wave, then disappeared.  
  
"It's no doubt our female friend here's comrades come back again!" Archimedes concluded.  
  
"You mean the Dark Legion?" Knuckles asked, staring at Julie.  
  
"What? I don't know anything about this!" She defended.  
  
"Whatever, now come on. Let's go investigate that explosion..."  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Shelia steadied herself, and concentrated on the target, nearly fifty paces away. Even  
though it was only warm, sweat beaded her brow. She forced her eyes to focus.  
  
In the small, red-painted canvas target, there were all ready five shots. Three were   
sliver bolts from her opponent's crossbow, and the other two were burnt holes from her laser  
pistol. They were pretty much even, but if Shelia could make another bullseye, it would  
throw her over the top.  
  
She felt dizzy again, but blinked it back. She pulled her gun up to eye level shakily.  
It had been hard the first two times, but never like this. She shook her head, but it only  
made the dizziness worse. Plus the dull aching in her heart didn't make things easier, either.  
  
Forcing herself steady again, she stared in vain at the target. It was just a red and  
white blur in the distance. 'Focus, focus, focus!' She thought to herself, clenching her   
teeth, 'Thinking about him again isn't going to help anything!'  
  
She tightened her grip on the handle, and pulled the trigger back...  
  
Her vision blurred, a shock rolling through her.  
  
The shot sang, and flew through the air...  
  
And completely missed the target.  
  
  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles with Archimedes on his shoulder, and Julie-Su running beside him, dashed out  
of the thick jungle into an area he knew well, the Mystic Ruins. At least, he thought he knew  
it well.  
  
The Mystic Ruins were supposed to be what was left of the echidna society, Echidnaopolis,  
which had once been one of the greatest cities in the entire world... But then the Overlanders  
had come to the Floating Island, and the city had mysteriously disappeared, and so had the  
echidnas. The city had been gone for decades, even before Robotnik's take over. Knuckles had  
never seen another of his own kind, besides his father, and of course the Dark Legionnaires.  
He thought Echidnaopolis had been destroyed, with it most of the echidna race.  
  
He stopped short, gaping at what he saw now, in the place where ancient broken columns  
and ruins had once laid, but had been now replaced with a huge city, towering buildings rising   
into the sky father than he could see, white and green spires reaching the tops of the clouds,   
vehicles everywhere, and what surprised him the most: Echidnas everywhere, running in the   
streets. Echidnas, just like him.  
  
  
  
******  
  



	17. Sometimes life just sucks

  
  
Chapter seventeen: "Sometimes life just sucks"  
  
  
  
  
Shelia blinked, and opened her eyes to stare blankly at the straw ceiling above  
her. She sat up quickly, and regretted it just as quickly. Her head ached fiercely, and as  
she learned rather painfully as she flopped back down on the hard cot, she had a small   
bruised cut on the back of her head with a thin bandage wrapped over it.   
  
God, she hated waking up like this.   
  
Suddenly, Sally and the raccoon doctor from before were looming over her, looking  
worried. Shelia just stared at them, squinting as the doctor shone a light in her eyes, and  
grumbled sourly when the raccoon examined her face and head.  
  
"Is she all right?" Sally asked finally, and judging by the look on the doctor's  
face, it wasn't the first time she had asked.  
  
"She seems fine." The older female said frowning, "Why don't you ask her yourself,  
she is conscious now as you can see."  
  
Sally frowned back at her momentarily. No doubt the doctor had been rather angry at  
the princess for going against her suggestions. While Shelia had been out, there had been an   
argument between the two. The Amazons were an aggressive people, even their doctors...   
  
Sally pushed that aside for now, and looked down at Shelia. "How do you feel?" She   
asked, softly.  
  
Shelia glowered up at her, not feeling at all in the mood for talking. "How do I  
look?" She answered grumpily.  
  
Sally was rather taken aback. Shelia was usually such a congenial animal, but Sally  
supposed she had a reason to be in a foul mood at the moment. "You don't look too bad..." She   
said.  
  
Shelia just frowned, then after a moment mumbled, "Well, I feel pretty bad."  
  
Sally sighed. "Shelia... I'm so sorry I made you do that. I was being selfish, and  
stupid. I should have never let you get out of bed. I'm sorry."  
  
Shelia's frown softened. "It... It wasn't your fau--"  
  
"Yes, it was!" Sally interrupted. "I made you do it. I just wanted to win so badly...  
It was foolish. And incredibly selfish. Something a leader like me should have never have  
even thought of doing. My people are supposed to come first, always... And I just seemed  
to forget. I'm so, so sorry."  
  
Shelia smiled weakly. "... I'm okay, really. Just a bump on the head is all."  
  
Sally sighed again, and smiled back. That's better. She didn't know how long she could   
have put up with a foul-tempered Shelia. She must have been getting it from Knuckles...  
  
"... Did I win?"  
  
Sally blinked. "What?"  
  
"Did I win?" Shelia repeated the question, looking up at her as she lay on the bed. "The   
event. Did I win it? I don't remember."  
  
Sally frowned again. "Well, no."  
  
Shelia closed her eyes. "Great." She mumbled sourly.  
  
Sally tried not to laugh. Yes, Knuckles was definitely rubbing off on her. Speaking  
of Knuckles... "Shelia, did Knuckles leave for the Floating Island last night?" She asked,  
calmly trying to change the subject, to put the vixen in a better mood.  
  
By the look of Shelia's face when she opened her eyes again, she had picked the wrong   
subject. Now she looked like she was going to burst into tears.   
  
"Yes." She answered simply, trying very hard not to break into a sob.  
  
'Not again...' Sally thought. She had all ready let Shelia cry on her shoulder once  
when Knuckles had left her the first time, and she did not look forward to doing it again. Shelia  
was sweet, but the girl need to get a hold of herself and quit fainting and crying every time  
her man left her side. She had to admit it though, before, Knuckles had hurt her badly, leaving  
her when she needed him the most... But now what was up? Sally at least thought that Shelia was  
somewhat over her parent's death, and now it turned out that her sister was still alive. Plus,  
it wasn't like she would never see Knuckles again. She lived on the island now, with the troops  
at Fort Acorn, and probably saw him everyday. He'd come back for her, or she'd go back on her  
own. Why was she blubbering about it? Unless... Something happened between them that she didn't  
know about... Why had Shelia been out in the forest like that? Her curiosity piqued.  
  
"Shelia... Did something--" She began.  
  
"Sally, do you love Sonic?" Shelia asked suddenly.  
  
The princess almost fell out of her chair. She had not been expecting that! "Well... I,  
uh... Why do you ask?" She stuttered.  
  
"... I don't know." Shelia said softly, "I just wondered... I mean, you... You and   
he are 'together' aren't you?"  
  
Sally thought about that for a second. "Well... Yes." She answered finally.  
  
"And you've been together for a long time, right?" Shelia continued.  
  
Sally nodded slowly, her confusion growing. "Where is this going, Shelia?" She asked.  
  
Shelia frowned, then looked away. "Well... I just wanted to know, if you ever told him  
that you loved him." She asked softly.  
  
"... Shelia, what is this all about?" Sally asked.  
  
"... You didn't answer my question..."  
  
"... You didn't answer mine..."  
  
They stared at each other in silence for a moment. Shelia looked up at her, unblinking,  
her eyes half filled with tears, and Sally looked down at her stubbornly.  
  
Finally, Sally sighed. Maybe she owed it to her to give in first. She looked away before  
answering softly. "... No, I've... I've never told him."  
  
Shelia was surprised, and slowly leaned up and rested on her elbows to watch the  
princess with interest. "But... Do you... I mean, love him?"  
  
Sally thought about that for a moment, too. "I... I wish I could." She said finally, in  
a voice much too meek to be her usual.  
  
Shelia tilted her head, growing more interested. "What do you mean? Why can't you?"   
She questioned.  
  
Sally was still looking away. "... You wouldn't understand. It's... Complicated. I want  
to, I mean... But right now... I can't."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"... I'm the Princess." Sally said, almost bitterly, "I have a war to run. I don't  
have time for that kind of thing."  
  
Shelia was practically appalled. "But... How can someone not have time for love?"  
  
"I told you that you wouldn't understand. It's not what I want all the time. If I  
want to have a future for this planet... I have to put things off. Even... Love."  
  
Shelia quieted for a moment, and watched the back of the pretty squirrel's head,   
thinking. But finally, she couldn't help herself. "You mean to say, that in all those  
years you and Sonic... Never... Said anything about it?"  
  
Sally had to laugh softly. "Sonic isn't exactly a very verbal guy. There's other ways to   
say that you love someone without just coming out and saying it... He knows that I care about   
him, and I know he cares about me. That's all we need... For now."  
  
Shelia looked down. "Oh..." she said softly. "I just don't think I could do that."  
  
Sally turned to look back at her from the corner of her eye. "What do you mean?"  
  
"... Keep all my feelings in like that. For years. How do you stand it? I think I'd   
go crazy." She said.  
  
Sally smiled weakly, and tried to casually wipe her eyes. "It's not the hardest thing   
that I have to do everyday."  
  
Shelia smiled back at her, slowly sitting up fully. "I wish I was as strong as you,   
Sally." She said.  
  
"You've said that before. You should stop wishing." Sally said, bluntly.  
  
Shelia was still smiling a little smile. "You're right."  
  
They sat again in silence, this time almost contentedly, until Sally broke in.  
  
"You're turn."   
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I answered your question." Sally said pointedly, "Now you answer mine. Why did you  
ask me all that? And don't give me any of that 'I was just curious' crap. Something happened  
between you and Knuckles, didn't it?"  
  
Shelia looked pained again. "... Yeah..." She said softly.  
  
"Well...?" Sally pushed.  
  
"Well... I... Before he left... Well I..." She tried not to sniffle, "I told him that  
I loved him."  
  
Sally hadn't been expecting that either. But now it all seemed to be starting to make  
sense. "...And, what did he say back?" She asked.  
  
Shelia closed her eyes and a single tear escaped and trickled down her nose.   
"Nothing..." She whimpered. "He just ran off..."  
  
Sally's demeanor softened considerably. She wouldn't admit it of course, but deep down,  
that had always been another reason while she had never poured out her feelings to Sonic, the  
ever present fear of being unreturned in her emotions... Sure, she knew Sonic cared about her,  
but... Well, he wasn't one for commitment... But she really hadn't expected that kind of behavior  
from Knuckles. He was so calm and collected and responsible, if a little shy at first! She had  
thought for sure he was head over heels for Shelia!  
  
But there the innocent vixen was, heart-broken again.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
A small group of rather odd looking humans sat around a circular, checkered game board,   
fissured in two by a green crystal game piece jammed into the center.   
  
They were all silent momentarily. There were four of them, one man, and three women. The   
man was tall, handsome and young, with shoulder-length white hair tied back with a ribbon. He  
was dressed in a prim white suit, a scarf folded neatly into his coat and kept in place with a   
clear crystal pin. His gray eyes were wide with shock, something very unusual for him.   
  
A short woman sat beside him daintily, dressed in fine green silks and velvets laced with   
strings of lime-colored pearls. Her hair, oddly enough, was dark green, and curled about her   
shoulders and down her back in gentle waves. She was anything but gentle however. Her shining   
emerald eyes had a darkness, a cold evil behind them, despite her smile.   
  
On the other side of her, sat a red-headed little girl dressed in a short frilly pink   
dress with great big red bows in her hair around two small buns, leaving the rest of her hair to   
fall down to the small of her back. Her normally overly enthusiastic and innocent demeanor had   
faded, and tears had begun in her round eyes.   
  
Sitting across from the little girl, somewhat away from the others, was a tall, skinny,   
rather frightening looking woman, dressed in a very tight-fitting black shiny dress, cut in a   
very low 'v' in front that reached her belly button, and just barely covered her adequate   
breasts. Her spiky, dark amethyst hair was tied back in a fashionably messy pony tail, but her  
long bangs fell over her electric violet eyes, which were now wide with disgust.  
  
However human-looking they seemed, they were not at all human. They were neither human,  
nor animal, nor plant. They simply were. Spirits some called them. The embodiments of all the  
emotions, forces, goods, and evils of the world. Legends, and yet they lived.  
  
"... What... What have you done?!" Rona, the woman in black, spat suddenly, breaking   
the silence.  
  
Kayoss, the woman in green, simply smirked at her companions sweetly. "Whatever do you   
mean?" She asked innocently.  
  
Venus, the little girl, crumbled down beside the broken game board. "You'll ruin   
everything!" She sobbed softly.  
  
Ace, the man in white, frowned just barely. "She's right darling. You shouldn't have   
done that. The city was not to return until--"  
  
"Oh shut up!" Kayoss hissed, rolling her eyes. "You and your stupid plans! For once  
you should quit following their orders! After all, I am in charge here."  
  
Rona scowled down at the smaller emerald-haired woman. "Is that so?"  
  
Kayoss' eyes narrowed dangerously. "This is *my* island. You are only here because the  
stupid Guardian brought you here."  
  
Rona matched her glare evenly.   
  
Venus was still crying. "You broke my gaaaaamme!"  
  
Ace patted her gently on her red-head. "Don't worry sweetie... You can always just make  
another one."  
  
"Oh yeah..." She sniffled, looking wistful. "But.. I wish Kaminai was here. She's so good   
at fixing things."  
  
"They're coming soon... Hopefully." Ace said.  
  
"Hey! This game isn't over yet!" Kayoss growled.  
  
"I think you've caused enough trouble for today, darling." Ace said slowly.  
  
She eyed him viciously.  
  
He returned with his own cool, slivery gaze. Venus frowned up at her as she held her   
game protectively. And Rona, as always, was against her.  
  
'Damn.' Kayoss thought, 'I was just trying to have a little fun, and all these jerks gang  
up on me.' She turned and stalked away to the other side of the huge spherical room and resumed  
her position on her pedestal. She smiled evilly. Perhaps when Rakar finally got here he would be   
on her side. Until then she'd just have to play her own little game...  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's... It's..." Julie-Su stuttered, as she stared at the towering white and green  
buildings that lay in front of them, seemingly have appeared from nowhere.  
  
"It's Echidnaopolis!" Archimedes exclaimed, flabbergasted.  
  
"B-but... But it can't be!" Knuckles stammered, not believing his eyes.  
  
"It is!" Julie-Su yelled, practically laughing. "It's Echidnaopolis, back on the island,  
after all those years! Finally I'll be able to go home!"  
  
Knuckles was still simply staring in shock. "It can't be!" He repeated, "It's... Its  
impossible! It was destroyed!"  
  
Julie turned back to give him a confused stare. "Destroyed? What are you talking about?"  
She asked.  
  
"...It... It was destroyed... A long time ago... Was... Wasn't it?" He said slowly.  
  
"Uh... No." Julie replied.  
  
"Archimedes, tell her! Wasn't it destroyed?" Knuckles asked the ant on his shoulder.  
  
"Uh..." Archimedes mumbled, looking downward.  
  
"Well?!" Knuckles asked, sounding strangled.  
  
"Um.. WellIgottagochecksomethingseeyoulater!" Archimedes said in a rush, then   
disappeared.  
  
Knuckles stared at his empty shoulder, confusion almost overwhelming him. He looked   
up, to try to get an explanation from Julie only to find her gone. He blinked, then realizing that she   
had run into the mysterious city, ran after her.  
  
He caught up with her in the middle of a wide paved street between the huge buildings.  
She was staring upwards in awe, an almost reminiscent look in her eyes.   
  
The damage seemed minimal for such a quake, but the city stood, most of it at least.   
Towers shot up into the sky like huge, white glass trees, shining in the sun, gilded   
metallic spires stabbing the clouds, broken bridges between the buildings, cracks along the   
sidewalks, and floors and floors of windows, some shattered, up and down the edifices   
reflecting the brilliant glow of the towers and... Despite the destruction, it was strikingly   
beautiful.  
  
There were echidnas running everywhere, and towers, vehicles, roads, everywhere... It   
made Knuckles nervous. He didn't like being nervous.  
  
"Isn't it great?" Julie said. "Back home!"  
  
"Uhh..." Knuckles said, swallowing.   
  
"Halt intruders!" Someone shouted suddenly.  
  
Knuckles and Julie looked down from where they were gazing at the tower-tops to find   
themselves surrounded by dozens of echidnas in uniform, all pointing guns in their direction.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  



	18. Looking Back

  
  
  
Chapter eighteen: "Looking Back"  
  
  
  
  
  
"... Hey Loopy, can we talk?"  
  
"Vaya al infierno." She growled back in Spanish, not looking at him from where she sat  
cross-legged on the ground on the edge of the courtyard, away from where the rest of the Amazons   
were eating the evening's meal.  
  
"No thanks." Clawz replied, casually.  
  
She turned and frowned at him. "Do you have any idea what I just said?"  
  
"No." He said simply, and smiled at her as he sat down beside her.  
  
She shook her head. "Eres un idiota."  
  
"Look woman, I come over here to talk and you jus'--" He began.  
  
"If you're going to say something to me, go ahead. I'm listening." She cut off.  
  
He frowned. "Fine den..." He cleared his throat, "Ahem. Well... Uh... Lemme think a   
minute..." He mumbled.  
  
"Goodbye." She said standing up.  
  
"Hold up, woman!" He said, grabbing her arm, "I had it a second ago, just... C'mon,  
give me a chance."  
  
"I all ready gave you a chance, Wildcat, and you blew it big-time! You don't deserve  
another one!" She snapped, still standing.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, Loopy! Everybody d'serves a second chance!" He pleaded.  
  
"Not you! And will you quit calling me that!?" She growled, trying to pry him off her  
arm, and only half succeeding.  
  
He caught her other arm. "Look, at least let me tell you what really happened! Really  
it wasn't my idea t'leave like that!"  
  
"Hmph!" She snorted, but didn't move away any further.  
  
He sighed. "... Y'see..." He began, "... Nack woke me up in th'middle of the night,  
said we had to go to pick up a shipment uh parts before we lost our deal. I did't wanna leave  
ya. I didn't know he took your diamond until later! Honest! I wouldn't let him sell it. I wanted   
to give it back..."  
  
She was still frowning. "...And why didn't you?" She asked in a low voice.  
  
"Uh welll... I was going to, but... We had work to do, and we never came through the  
Southern Desert again. I never had a chance..." He explained in a mumble.  
  
"And where is it now? That diamond was my father's legacy! My family was trusted to  
protect it... I need it back." Lupe said firmly.  
  
"...I don't have it anymore..." He said softly.  
  
"WHAT??!" She growled.  
  
"B-but don't worry yer lil' head Loops, it's safe. Knux has it." He said quickly, backing  
away slightly.  
  
"Who??" She questioned, still snarling.  
  
"Knux... Er, Knuckles, my pal. He's the guardian of the Floating Island." Clawz stammered.  
  
Lupe blinked. "...Guardian...?" She almost whispered, suddenly awestruck, "The one of the  
legend?"  
  
"Uh... I dunno." Clawz said, giving her a strange look. "But he'll take care of it. He's  
a good guy."  
  
"If it is safe with the Guardian..." She said, trailing off.  
  
He stared at her silently for a moment.  
  
"Sooo... You forgive me?" He asked finally.  
  
She shot him a sour look. "I don't think I can ever forgive you." She said, her voice  
deep and serious again, "You took so much more from me than just my father's diamond."  
  
He cringed. "I said I was sorry. I did care about you Loops. A lot..." He admitted.   
"Can't we get back together?"  
  
She laughed. "I don't think so. Besides, I am engaged."  
  
"Engaged?!" He said loudly, "As in you're getting married? To who?"  
  
"Maybe you'll meet him someday. He did not come with us to the tournament. He is back  
in the desert attending to the rest of the pack." She said, smiling slightly.  
  
"I feel so betrayed." He said, only half-sarcastically.  
  
She laughed again. "Sorry. You missed you're chance... But I suppose, in all fairness,  
it was not your fault... Nack is a manipulating little bastard."  
  
"Yup. Correct there." He agreed.  
  
"...And we were young, and reckless back then."  
  
"Still am." He said grinning.  
  
"So..." She began.  
  
"Sooooo?"  
  
"So... Maybe, even if I can't forgive you... Perhaps we can call a truce." She sighed.   
"It was even a little my fault, I guess... Trusting a wildcat... What was I thinking?"  
  
"So we're cool?" She asked, eagerly.  
  
"As long as the diamond is safe..." She complied.  
  
"It is! I promise!" He insisted, crushing her in a hug, "You can even ask Shelia!"  
  
"Shelia?" She said, pushing him away roughly, "You mean the red fox who fainted at the   
shot event? What does she have to do with anything?"  
  
"She's Knux's girl. She can tell you about the diamond." He explained, in his typical  
non-informant fashion. "She had some of those big jewels herself... Ha ha, hey that's kinda   
funny, y'know because she's got--"  
  
"You mean she was a keeper?" Lupe asked, shocked.  
  
"Uh... Yeah, sure." Clawz answered, cluelessly.  
  
"Hmm. That's interesting."  
  
"...Very." Replied, even though he had no idea what she was talking about.  
  
She frowned at him.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
She sighed. "You haven't changed a bit."  
  
"Sure I have... You just gotta... 'get to know me'..." He laughed, winking.  
  
"Not one bit."  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
"Holy--!" Julie gasped, grabbing at her side for her weapon, but finding nothing.  
  
Knuckles gulped. "Hey, wait a minute, we--"  
  
"Silence!" The one in charge yelled. "Put your hands above your head and don't try   
anything funny, intruders!"  
  
"Intruders?" Knuckles said, frowning, "But I'm the--"  
  
"I said silence!" The leader growled, shoving his pistol in the young echidna's face. He  
was a tall, but thin dark-furred male echidna, probably in his late twenties and with an obvious  
superiority complex. A small gold pin on his jacket pocket read: 'E.S.T. Captain Braxton Oxford'.  
  
Knuckles shut his mouth, and raised his hands slowly, but his frown furrowed deeper.  
Julie watched him carefully, then raised her own hands.  
  
"All right, cuff 'em boys." The captain instructed, gesturing with his gun towards the  
so-called 'intruders'.  
  
Knuckles' eyes narrowed. Nobody pushed him around, much less accused him of trespassing,  
on his own island...   
  
Two officers approached him with a set off rather uncomfortable-looking handcuffs. Just   
when they got close enough for Knuckles to get in range for a good swing, another figure stepped   
in front of him, blocking his opportunity.  
  
"That's quite enough Captain!" The older-looking female echidna said sourly, frowning  
in a strangely familiar way.   
  
The captain and his troops stepped back in shock, and quickly saluted. "My Lady! What  
do you mean?" The captain stuttered, still in his formal position, "We were just arresting these  
intruders!"  
  
"He is not an intruder." She said, pointing back at Knuckles, "He happens to be the   
island's young guardian. Does not his mark show this to be true?"  
  
The soldiers gaped for a moment, staring quizzically at Knuckles chest and the white  
crescent under his neck.   
  
"B-but... He can't be..." The captain mumbled.  
  
"And yet he is!" The lady said smugly, "Now begone with you!"  
  
"...But the girl, m'lady! She is a Dark Legionnaire!" The captain pointed out, making   
reference to Julie-Su's metallic 'enhancements'.  
  
The lady echidna turned to her, and examined her up and down curiously.  
  
Julie huffed. "I am not a Dark Legionnaire!"  
  
Knuckles looked at her.  
  
"...Anymore." She added.  
  
"I'm afraid we'll have to take her into custody, m'Lady." The captain informed.  
  
"No way!" Julie shouted. "C'mon Mr. Guardian! Tell 'em! I'm with you."  
  
Knuckles was silent.  
  
"Well??!" She hissed.  
  
"Maybe you better go with them. For now." He answered finally.  
  
"Are you crazy!? They'll lock me up!" She yelled.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll come back for you later... Right now I have to check something out."  
Knuckles said.  
  
"You heard the Guardian, boys! Let's take her in!" The Captain ordered.  
  
"Wait a second! This isn't fair! I didn't even do anything!" She pleaded.  
  
"Go with them Julie-Su." Knuckles said firmly. "I'll take care of things."  
  
"B-but I..." She stammered, as the officers clamped the cuffs around her wrists. "Get   
offa me! I didn't do anything!!" She growled, tugging away, preparing to give one of the   
haughty officers a good kick in the stomach.  
  
"Go." Knuckles repeated, giving her his iciest gaze.  
  
She frowned staring back at him for a moment. She snorted, then finally, she stopped   
struggling and allowed herself to be restrained. Her expression was more than reluctant.  
  
Knuckles watched them as they took her back into one of the tall white and green   
buildings. He noted the location in the back of his mind, then sighed. She was a Dark   
Legionnaire after all. Maybe they would be able to deal with her better than he could. He   
would check up on her later... But for now, he had some questions to ask.  
  
He turned and met the gaze of the regal lady echidna. She was tall, and slender, and  
would have been quite attractive to him if she wasn't at least twenty years his senior. She  
was wearing a floor-length yellow dress, tied at the front bodice in an elegant, classic fashion.   
She had long, deep red quills that reached her tail, and soft, feathery-looking brown bangs,   
with a thin braid flowing down her back. She had a curved face, softly marked with thin lines  
of age beside her eyes and mouth, but making her no less exquisite.  
  
He stared at her, squinting. He had never seen this woman in his life to his   
recollection, but for some odd reason... For some odd reason, she seemed so familiar.  
  
She stared back at him, with the same awestruck gaze, hers a brilliant green and his a  
icy blue. Finally, she looked away, and shook her head.  
  
She sighed. "You had to turn out looking so much like your father, didn't you?"  
  
He tilted his head in confusion. "... You knew my father?"  
  
She laughed softly, but it had a undertone of sadness and lamentation. "I suppose you  
could say I knew him very well..."  
  
Knuckles stepped closer to her, trying to figure out how he somehow knew her. "I don't  
follow you..." He said, blinking.  
  
She smiled a melancholy smile, almost as if she was forcing back tears. "You really  
don't remember me...?"  
  
Knuckles swallowed. Oh great. He hated it when females cried. "I'm sorry..." He said  
gently, "But... You do seem familiar... Somehow... But I just can't remember. Where you a   
friend of my father's?"  
  
"More than just a friend..."  
  
Now Knuckles was just plain uncomfortable. "Oh... I didn't know he... Uh... Had any...  
Uh..." He mumbled. A girlfriend? Was this woman one of his father's old girlfriends or something?  
How would she know him though? This was just too weird.  
  
She laughed softly again, in that sad way. "You still don't know me?"  
  
Knuckles shook his head. "I'm sorry, but no..."  
  
She stepped towards him, and put her hands on his shoulders and looked down into his  
eyes with tears in her own. "Knuckles..." She said in almost a whisper, "I am your mother."  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  



	19. The Ghost that Walks the Swamp

  
  
Chapter nineteen: "The Ghost that Walks the Swamp"  
  
  
  
  
  
A huge brass gong sounded, sending it's reverberations throughout the courtyard.  
  
Three times it rang.  
  
The soft fronds of the willow trees trembled in the moist mist. A despairing silence  
fell through the trees.   
  
Deep in the woods of time, a young queen cried over a lost love...  
  
Now, however, the Queen of The Amazons sat eating quietly upon her raised throne on top   
of a silken pillow, listening to the silent wind. A look of sadness passed over regal features.   
She tried to shake the feeling off, but it stayed, deep in her heart. She sighed softly,   
brushing back a long dark braid that fell over her shoulder from where her hair had been   
intricately plaited and done up into a tight bun at the back of her head. Her dress, of   
oriental style, was long, and covered her body almost completely from the neck down. She   
tugged her long sleeves up daintily, and continued to eat, maintaining her mask of regal   
un-interest and calm. She watched and listened unnoticed as the rebel Princess and the red   
flighty fox girl exited the medic's small hut. That strange blue hedgehog boy was waiting for   
them.  
  
"Hiya girls." Sonic greeted them. "Feeling all right Shelia?"  
  
She still looked rather rumpled. "Better, at least." She mumbled.  
  
"How about you, Sal?" He asked, noticing an uneasiness about her, "You feeling all right?"   
  
She stared at him for a moment frowning, as if uncertain about something. Then, on   
impulse, she stepped forward and embraced him.  
  
Very surprised, Sonic almost stumbled over.  
  
Shelia smiled at them sadly, and decided to go off and find her sister and leave them  
alone for a while.  
  
"Well..." Sonic stuttered, as Sally drew back, "What was that for?"  
  
She smiled slightly. "Do I have to have a reason?"  
  
"...No." He answered, grinning broadly, "But I'd like to know if it was something I did   
so I can do it more often."  
  
She laughed softly. "Nope, you didn't do anything... I just... Needed it I guess."  
  
"I'll always be there for ya, Sal." He replied, winking.  
  
"I hope so..." She said, and hugged him again.  
  
The Amazon Queen watched all this out of the corner of her golden-yellow eyes as she  
silently consumed her dinner. She let out a soft sad sigh. Even the rebel princess had someone.  
She watched as the red-head and her blue beau sat down together around the bonfire, the light of  
it's blazing flames dancing off the bronze surface of the huge metallic gong suspended on thick   
bamboo poles over the pit. Everyone was seated around it eating happily. The competitive feelings  
of the tournament had dissolved after the last event, and everyone seemed to have forgotten that  
a battle was going on inside a war. Many of the Amazons had all ready picked out their male  
companions from the ranks of Lupe's wolf pack.  
  
The queen sighed again, quietly. Everyone seemed so happy. Everyone but her. She gazed  
into the fire, wondering why she ever came to this land in the first place. Would she be happier  
if she had married that soldier back on the mountains of her home like her father had wanted?  
Now she truly understood the legend of the Keeper of the Opal of Despair...  
  
She blinked, seeing the reflection of Lupe and Clawz coming out of the forest together,  
laughing. She turned away. Even that wretched wolf girl had someone. That stupid male wildcat  
was her interest was he? She had bad taste. She had been watching that male with almost a morbid  
curiosity, although she never gave any clue of it. He seemed to be the epitome of all the reasons   
early Amazons hated males, and while still today, the Queen of the Amazons, was destined to a   
life of solitude and chastity. He was lewd, demeaning, and contemptibly sexist... And yet oddly  
attractive...  
  
She blinked again. What was she thinking?! Males were nothing but trouble... And yet...  
  
"This stuff is great!" Clawz exclaimed, stuffing a handful of sushi rolls into his  
mouth with his bare hands.  
  
"Aya! Disgusting! At least use your eating utensils." Lupe scolded, edging away from him.  
  
"You mean dese twigs?" He asked, holding up a pair of long, thin slices of bamboo wood.  
  
"Those are chopsticks, dummy. Even I know how to use them!" She said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Well, excuuuuuse me, Senora Perfecto! I ain't as smart as you!" He sulked.  
  
"Maria..." Shelia said softly to her sister, "I don't think my food was properly cooked..."  
  
The little fox laughed at her older sister. "It's okay Shelia! It's supposed to be  
served raw."  
  
"Raw fish?" Shelia said, poking the wet roll of meat with a chopstick. "That's gross."  
  
"It's called sushi, and it's not gross. It's good! Try it!" Maria replied, deftly popping  
the fish into her mouth with the two long sticks.  
  
Shelia wrinkled in her nose. "If you say so..." She mumbled.  
  
"It's really not that bad Shelia." Sally admitted.  
  
"Yeah," Sonic agreed, "But I'd still rather have a good ol' chili dog any day."  
  
Lupe was trying to show Clawz how to eat with dignity, which was a loosing battle. "Look,   
you use them like this..." She explained, demonstrating how to hold the two thin sticks between   
her fingers.  
  
Clawz tried a few times for himself, and failed miserably each time. "Aww, screw this!"   
He growled finally, and simply speared the food through the middle with one stick and shoved it   
in his mouth.  
  
They all laughed.  
  
The queen smiled slightly.  
  
"Gommenasai, Kougou-sama (pardon me Empress)," A young female bobcat said softly to the  
queen, interrupting her thoughts.  
  
The regal tiger jumped, startled. "Oh! Ah... Hai? Naninani? (yes, what's the matter?)"  
  
"All of the people are gathered. Are you going to tell the tale?" The amazon girl asked  
meekly.  
  
The Queen frowned, and thought a moment. "Iie. Iie. (no)" She sighed, then continued  
in English "I do not feel like story telling tonight. Have someone else see to it."  
  
"As you wish, my queen..." The girl said bowing away, stepping down from the platform.  
She watched the queen for a moment, unsure. The queen seemed... Flustered. Turning away, she  
dismissed it as her imagination and walked among the group gathered around the fire. Finally  
she stopped in front of Shelia and her sister.  
  
"Maria-san," The bobcat said softly, "Would you like to tell the tale?"  
  
"Me?" Maria said, pointing to herself in disbelief, "You want me to do it??"  
  
"You have finished translating it in your lessons, have you not?"  
  
Maria nodded slowly. "Well, yeah but..."  
  
"Good." The bobcat girl said, grabbing Maria by the arm and pulling her up in front of   
the fire. "Now hurry, the queen grows impatient."  
  
Maria sighed. "I'd be honored..." She grumbled, dusting herself off and hefting up the  
huge, long-handled drum mallet. She took a deep breath, then swung and sounded the brass  
gong with a tremendous clang.  
  
After everyone got over their mild heart attack from the sudden noise, Maria stepped  
up onto the platform beside the queen.  
  
She cleared her throat. "Now that I've got your attention..." She began, "I'd like to  
tell you a story."  
  
"A story?" Tails asked, from where he now sat between Clawz and Sonic, "This isn't  
going to be some dumb, mushy girl story is it?"  
  
"Why don't you SHUT-UP and let me tell it and maybe you'll find out!" She hissed, shaking  
the mallet in his direction.  
  
"It was just a question..." He said, cringing away.  
  
She snorted. "As I was saying..." She began again, "I am going to tell you a story. It  
is the story of the first Amazon Queen, the first keeper of the Opal of Despair."  
  
Shelia and Lupe, growing interested, moved closer.  
  
The queen handed Maria a aged scroll, and she began to read aloud to the group.  
"It was a thousand years ago this year. A war between the great forces of good and evil   
had been fought, a harsh, dark war that only barely ended with light at the hands of the  
Guardian of legend..."  
  
"... I... I know this story...." Shelia said softly.  
  
Lupe turned to stare at her thoughtfully.  
  
Shelia didn't seem to notice, and continued to let herself be immersed in the story...  
  
"Even though the Guardian had trapped the forces of Chaos," Maria continued, "She   
had not destroyed them, and during the chaos dragon's short reign of terror over the world,   
it had inflicted great damage and spread it's chaotic energy in a thin film over the peoples   
of our planet. Many wars broke out, reshaping the face of the world we used to know. In   
that time, a thousand years ago, our world was much different. The Chaos War reshaped   
our lands and our civilizations.   
  
To try and finish off the dying forces of chaos, the Guardian took the essence of the   
elements, crystallized into eight stones of power, and distributed them in several locations   
over the world, to stabilize, and finally neutralize the spirits.   
  
One of these stones, a beautiful teardrop opal holding the despair of the world was   
intrusted to our first queen, Theresa of the Woods. As I said before, because of the shaking  
reverberations of chaos, many other, smaller wars broke out all over the world. The Amazon was  
no different. Many males began to fight over the newly created lands, and battles broke out  
between the villages. Many were killed, and many females found themselves without a place to  
find refuge. Theresa however was a warrior, she taught the young ones to fight for themselves.   
She soon found herself elected leader of a new tribe of warrior females, who called themselves   
Amazons...  
  
Many embittered females began our isolationist society, fighting for acceptance in this  
world. The foolish males that started the disputes were turned away, and shunned. Amazons have   
since denied any males into their tribe. But...  
  
Strong as she was, the queen had a softness in her soul. She was not only a queen, but   
a mother to the young Amazons. But sadly, this softness was also her weakness...  
  
A young male of a neighboring tribe found himself in her favor. He was allowed into the  
Amazon camp on several occasions, supposedly to help the queen with the building. The warriors  
began to notice, and confronted the queen about her questionable actions. The warriors believed  
that he was manipulating her, trying to break apart their tribe. So, for her people, the queen  
turned out her secret love.  
  
It is said, that sometimes, when her duties allowed her time by herself, the queen would  
walk to the edge of our territory, to meet her mate. She truly loved him, but her fighting   
spirit, hardness, and the will of her people never allowed her to show him. Her duty obligated  
her to protect the sacred stone, our Jibou no Opaaru, forever until the guardian came to reclaim  
it, as was the duty of the keepers.   
  
Finally, as the years past, the wars went on between the male tribes, and one day when  
the queen waited for her lover, he never came.  
  
Some say he died in battle. Others say he just became fed up with the troubled queen's  
inability to return his truthful adoration. Yet others say he simply found some weaker female  
to call his own.  
  
But the queen never saw him again.  
  
She lived a long life and was a held high above many queens to follow in her footsteps.  
She was a strong warrior, and a gentle saint. But she had a sadness about her always. She  
died without ever taking a husband, as has been the tradition of all Amazon queens since that  
day to honor the sacrifice she made for her people.  
  
Today, they say you can feel her spirit in this land, roaming the edges of what is  
left of our rainforest, waiting for her forbidden love. Her tears have made our opal, and our   
tribe stronger."  
  
  
Everyone was silent for a moment, the rather depressing story getting to everyone.  
  
Well, almost everyone.  
  
"Man, that *was* a mushy girl story!" Tails complained.  
  
Maria hit him in the head with the gong hammer.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  



	20. More Surprises

  
  
Chapter twenty: "More Surprises"  
  
  
  
Lysander stood before his master once again, his eyes down cast and his hood pulled  
up to hide the paleness of his face. Helena was right, he needed to be brave, for her and Julie  
now. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly with a shudder. Thankfully, Kragok's interest  
was not focused on him at the moment, but instead of the huge viewscreen of the opposite side  
of the room where he was conversing via laser satellite to a rather gruesome looking human with  
an ill-groomed orange moustache.  
  
"I did not share my technology with you for nothing, echidna." The man said in a low,  
unnerving voice. "Where is my payment?"  
  
Kragok was scowling. "You shared your technology with us, eh human?" He scoffed, leaning  
forward in his black, throne-like chair.   
  
"Exactly!" The human retorted, his large fleshy jowls shaking. "And I demand payment!"  
  
Kragok's metallic eye flashed. "The Dark Legion owes you nothing Robotnik. You stole  
our robotics years ago, before the war, and I am not about to pay you for it!"  
  
The man stroked his messy moustache idly. "Do not try to trick me Kragok or you will  
be very sorry for it." He said, his low voice deepening dangerously.  
  
Kragok sneered. "A threat, Doctor?"  
  
"You heard me, animal! Since the days of the Great War my accomplishments have flourished  
across the surface of Mobius... While, it seems you have been reduced to hiding from your own,  
the numbers of your followers dwindling. I believe it is clear whom has the advantage..."   
Robotnik replied darkly.  
  
Kragok stood up, flames of anger in his eyes.  
  
"If I am not paid back, you will find yourself in quite a sticky situation. This time  
I am not backing down. Get the Chaos Emerald or have your precious battleship and worthless  
island blown to smithereens." Robotnik concluded, with an evil smirk and promptly cut off the  
connection.  
  
Kragok stood there, stiff and fiery, his eyes burning holes into the static of the  
viewscreen. He snarled obscenities to himself, metal claw clutching the arm of the chair fiercely.  
Finally he turned away from the screen in disgust and slammed the off panel roughly as he  
stalked to the back of the room.  
  
Lysander gulped. Judging by that conversation, Kragok was going to be in a foul mood.  
It was scary just thinking of Kragok in his normal sour mood, but this was intensely frightening.  
When Kragok was angry, the whole ship quaked with his fury. Once more, insubordinate soldiers  
often ended up dead.  
  
With Kragok deep in his anger, and all the way at the other end of the room... Maybe,  
Lysander thought, he could just sneak away...  
  
"Soldier!" Kragok bellowed suddenly, not turning away from the far wall where he was  
inspecting his casks of wine with a burning eye.  
  
Lysander shuddered again, and stepped forward hesitantly. "... Y-yes, Master?"  
  
Kragok poured himself a tall glass of dark, almost black, red wine and took a long drink.   
He set his glass back down empty, and let out a slow breath before turning to eye the young  
legionnaire dully.  
  
"Do you have any idea what your sister has been up to, soldier?" He asked, a dangerous  
lightness to his voice.  
  
Lysander gulped. "N-no, Master."  
  
"Hmmph." Kragok grunted. "...Oh, then you might find this information interesting.   
Recently, I sent out a few spies to find her. It seems that she has let herself be captured,  
not only by the young Guardian, but also by the Echidnaopolis Security Team."  
  
Lysander gasped. "But how...?!"  
  
"Some other interesting things have been happening lately on the island..." Kragok  
continued, as if Julie-Su's predicament meant nothing, "The hyperzone protector has broken  
down, and the city has returned to the island..."  
  
The young soldier felt rather sickly. 'Julie arrested... The city returned... How can  
this be?' He thought.  
  
"Anyway, it seems that Julie-Su will have to be destroyed."  
  
Lysander's head shot up to stare incredulously at his Master. "W.. What?"  
  
"She has been captured by the enemy, and will probably be forced to reveal our secrets  
to them. She will have to be eliminated." The dark echidna master said, his voice emotionless.  
"Such as shame."  
  
Lysander's tightly clenched fists began to shake, this time with fury instead of fear.  
"You can't... You can't--" He began.  
  
Kragok raised an eyebrow, and smiled darkly. "Oh, can't I...?" He interrupted.  
  
Lysander blinked, and his anger faded. What was he thinking...?? Was he trying to get  
himself killed too? He stepped back. "Master, I... I didn't mean--"  
  
"There was that spark again." Kragok interrupted again, still smiling with an evil  
satisfaction. "That spark of boldness you seemed to possess when you stood up for your comrades  
that time before... Do you have a rebellious streak in you, soldier?"  
  
Lysander shook his head vigorously. "My loyalty lies with the legion!" He insisted, but  
he couldn't help feeling that he was not only lying to Kragok, but himself as well.  
  
"Of course," Kragok said slowly, his voice dripping with skepticism.  
  
Lysander stared at his master coldly, the fear dying away slowly. He couldn't just let   
him kill his only sister just because she dared to dream of freedom. Helena was right, he need   
to do something, anything, and stand up for her... Without getting himself shot.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles' mouth dropped open. "Wha...?"  
  
"Why do you seem so surprised...?" She said softly, "Did you not know you had a mother?"  
  
"I..." Knuckles struggled, now completely unsure of what to say. Confusion seemed to  
collapsing his thoughts. "I knew I had a mother... Once." He mumbled, "But... I thought she...  
You..." His brain finally made the connection,"...Were dead."  
  
She seemed about to cry again. "Is that what he told you? That I was dead?"  
  
"No... No..." Knuckles shook his head, as much as to clear his thoughts as to signify  
the negative, "Father never said that... Specifically... I just kind of assumed. He never liked   
to talk about his life before I was born... He said that his past didn't matter, and only my   
future was important..."  
  
She stared at him a moment, then sighed. "Typical Locke..." She said softly.  
  
"I... I don't understand... Why...?" Knuckles began.  
  
"Come with me." She said turning and walking down the street towards the heart of the   
city... "We have a lot to talk about..."  
  
"Umm..."  
  
She turned back, realizing his hesitation. "What's the matter...? You don't want to  
come with me?"  
  
"No, it's not that..." He said, "But do you mind if we go out of the city?"  
  
She blinked. "...Out of the city?" She asked, as if the idea was inconceivable.  
  
"Yeah..." Knuckles mumbled.  
  
"I... I suppose we can."  
  
She followed him back to the edge where the city ended and suddenly lush forests began.  
Knuckles, sighing with relief, sat down under a tree tiredly. The female claiming to be his  
mother stayed on the pavement staring at the foliage in disbelief.  
  
"So... We really are back on the island..." She said to herself.  
  
Knuckles looked up at her, his mind clearing considerably now that he was out of the   
middle of all those confusing streets and buildings. "That's another thing I don't understand...  
I thought Echidnaopolis was destroyed a long time ago."  
  
She shook her head. "No. Our city was almost destroyed by the Overlanders, a little less  
than a century ago, but our guardian at the time, Hawking, saved the city with the hyperzone   
protector..."  
  
"Hyperzone protector?" He repeated, thoughtfully.  
  
She nodded. "Yes. It's kind of like a protective bubble that surrounds... Er, surrounded  
the entire city. The city was transported to Haven, another zone, where it has been for almost   
a hundred years... Well, until now. What happened?"  
  
He stared at the buildings, lost in his thoughts as he tried to sort it all out. "I don't   
know..." He said, "Your story makes sense... But... If that's true, how... How come my father and I   
lived here on the Floating Island?"  
  
She took a deep breath. "Your father ran away from his problems..."  
  
He turned back to her. "What do you mean by that?" He asked, almost challengingly.  
  
She returned his questioning glare more than evenly. "He was a stubborn man, your  
father. I don't know why I ever thought it would work for us... But I suppose I was young and   
enthralled with the idea of being the wife of a Guardian... And I suppose I even loved him, for   
a time..."  
  
Knuckles felt that sick feeling returning.  
  
She noticed his uneasiness. "But... To put it short, your father and I, we had our  
differences. After you were born, I wanted to divorce him and keep custody of you, but he   
wouldn't have it... And neither would the courts. After all, you were a young guardian, and you   
*had* to be trained by an experienced senior guardian..."  
  
"So... You're saying my father just left you?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"Not exactly... I left him."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's complicated." She sighed, "I just couldn't accept that I couldn't be a true mother  
to you. He wouldn't let me. The... Rules..." She said with disgust, "The rules say that a   
young guardian's sole source of education must be his father... I wasn't allowed to see you  
for half the time, and then, only when you needed to be fed or cleaned or--"  
  
He was frowning. "So... You just left? Because of that?"  
  
She frowned back, with obvious tears of frustration beginning in her eyes. "Don't make  
it sound like it was nothing for a mother to have her son taken away from her... I left to  
appeal to the courts... And when they denied me, I tried to go back to Locke and reason with  
him... But by that time he was gone, and so were you."  
  
His face softened. "Oh..."   
  
"I don't know how he bypassed the shield and got back to the island..." She wiped her   
eyes. "But... That doesn't matter now." She smiled at him weakly. "Now that we've found each   
other again."  
  
He stood up, smiling back at her. Yes. She was his mother. He wasn't sure how he knew,   
but she was. She was telling the truth. Perhaps she was the only one who had ever told him  
the truth...  
  
She stepped down from the payment and stood in front of him, staring at him.   
  
"... What is your name?" He asked, softly.  
  
"My name is Lara-Le... But you can call me 'Mom'..." She said, grinning.  
  
"Okay." He nodded, still smiling, "...Mom."  
  
The tears returned to her eyes and she broke down, hugging him intensely and sobbing  
into his shoulder.  
  
Rather surprised, Knuckles slowly put his arms around her.   
  
"... You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that..." She whispered.  
  
His uneasiness faded. "... I wish I could have said it sooner."  
  
She sniffled, and released him slowly. "... Thank you... I'm sorry, I just got a bit  
carried away..."  
  
"It's okay." He replied.  
  
"Now..." She said, "There is so much more to talk about..."  
  
Knuckles glanced back at the city and sighed. "Yes... There is. But... First I need to  
find out what caused the city to return. I don't want anymore of those earthquakes to damage  
anything else. Do you have any idea what could have happened?"  
  
She shook her head sadly. "Not really..." She said, "But I suppose something must have   
made the hyperzone protector malfunction... I suppose we are lucky to have arrived back on   
the island alive... If not exactly in one piece..." She finished, indicating the cracks in the   
streets.  
  
"Where can I find it?"  
  
"In the center of the city. There's a huge monument in front of the capital. I'm  
sure they will let you in to see laboratory if you state your position... And if that doesn't  
work, you can always say that I have sent you..."  
  
He nodded. "Thank you." He said, and began to walk back into the city.  
  
"...Wait." She called as he stepped up onto the pavement.  
  
"Yeah?" He said turning back to face her.  
  
"After you are done... Will you come to my apartment so we can talk a little more?" She  
asked meekly.  
  
"Of course." He said, nodding again.  
  
"It's on the corner of Emerald Terrace and Main Street. I'm sure someone will be able   
to help you find it..."  
  
"Right. I'll come right over after I make sure things are safe here... It seems I've  
inherited a few more citizens to guard."  
  
And with that, he left, leaving her on the edge of the thick forest, staring after him  
wistfully.  
  
"Yes..." She said, the sadness in her voice returning ever so slightly. "Too much like  
his father..."  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
A tall, darkly handsome male echidna strode down the office hallway in an obvious huff.  
He was wearing a green uniform vest, similar to the one of the haughty captain, but slightly  
more decorated, with golden knots adorning his shoulders and his wide-brimmed hat, the tassels  
hanging off to one side. His tall green buckled boots and the gold badge on his chest reflected   
the weak glow of the electric lights above. His brown eyes, hidden beneath his dark bangs   
were angry. He stopped in front of a windowless doorway at the end of the hall and took a   
moment to compose himself.  
  
He was going to get a confession out of this tough guy. Finally the troops had been able   
to capture a member of the nefarious Dark Legion, a gang of miscreants that had been a thorn in   
his side since before he could remember. Finally, with the aid of this renegade soldier's   
confession, he would find their untraceable lines of informants and ultimately lead him to  
their base of operations and their infamous leader. He was going to be hard on this so-called  
soldier, and put him under the lights until he spilled.  
  
Feeling confident, he put on a scowl and opened the door and stepped inside the  
containment room.  
  
He blinked in confusion at the scene in front of him.  
  
Sitting at the table in the center of the otherwise empty room, was a stunningly  
beautiful, teenage female echidna handcuffed to her chair. Her fur was a light rose hue and   
her eyes a dark violet, the same color as her soft-looking bangs that fell lightly over her   
slightly pale face. Her quills, half of them roboticized into metallic locks, fell just past   
her shoulders. She was tall, as much as he could tell, she being seated, and nicely   
proportioned. Her legs were long and thin, and well-muscled. Her arms were crossed tightly   
in front of her chest, in a defiant stance. She had been stripped, so her clothing could be   
inspected and searched for weapons and hidden devices, so she was left sitting there in the   
cold room wearing practically nothing except her tight black halter top.  
  
She looked up at him suddenly, pretty eyes fierce. "What are you staring at, asshole?"   
She spat.  
  
Now, he definitely wasn't ready for that.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
The sun had long set over the horizon in the distance of the Amazon's swamp, and the  
glowing essence of the planet's moons was cast upon the trees, giving the forest an almost  
ethereal presence. The stars were shining in the dark sky above, and most of the residents  
and visitors of the tribe's village were fast asleep under their blankets.  
  
But some were not.  
  
Shelia, again had found herself unable to sleep. She couldn't help but to continue to  
puzzle over Knuckles' actions. Why had he done this to her? She had felt the emotion in his  
own kiss, but yet, for some strange reason, he had run away from her when she expressed her  
own emotions in a simple phrase. She was so sure that she had finally fell in love...  
  
She jumped, startled suddenly when she came upon Clawz sitting alone in front of the  
fire. He looked up at her, the same amount of surprise in his big green eyes.  
  
"Hello." She said softly.  
  
"Hiya, Shells. Howsit goin'?" He said, half-heartedly.  
  
"Okay, I guess..." She sighed, taking a seat beside him. "What are you doing up?"  
  
"I was gonna ask you th'same thing..."  
  
"I guess I couldn't sleep." She replied.  
  
"Me neither." He said.  
  
"...How come? What's bothering you?" She began, watching him with interest. Nothing   
seemed to ever bother the cheerful feline. "If you don't mind me asking..."  
  
He turned and ginned at her. "Naw, I never mind it when pretty girls pry inta my private  
life." He laughed softly.  
  
She blushed, "Well, uh..."  
  
"I'm just kiddin'," He said grinning wider, "I ain't intruding on Knux's territory. No  
way. I ain't that dumb."  
  
"...Oh." She mumbled.  
  
"Anyway, as I was sayin'..." He continued, "I've just been up thinkin'..."  
  
"About what?" She asked.  
  
"A lotta things. Life in general, I guess." He said, staring up at the stars almost  
wistfully. "It's a crazy world, ain't it?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, just when you think you're getting things together, everything   
suddenly breaks apart..." She sighed.  
  
He blinked at her in surprise. "Exactly! Y'know? Everything was goin fine with me and  
the Freedom Fighters till Nack and Loopy showed up. Now everything's totally screwed."  
  
"Knuckles said that Nack was your brother...? Uh, how can that be?" She asked, hesitantly.  
  
"Oh, well he ain't my real brother. Kinda like an adopted brother or somthin'. After my  
dad was robotocized, Nack and his dad kinda took care of me... Then, when Nack's dad got  
'botcized too, he took care of me all by hisself..."  
  
"Really?" She asked, her eyes wide.  
  
"Yeah." He laughed, "Take it he waddn't the most lovin' brother in th'world, but he   
was all I had. Then, o'course, he almost killed me..."  
  
"Oh my." Shelia said, eyes still wide.  
  
"Yeah... Tell me about it. But I forgive'em... I gotta. He's family."  
  
"No wonder you can't sleep." She said, in awe.  
  
He laughed again. "Yeah, really. But that's not all of it, neither."  
  
"Oh?" She said, still oddly interested.  
  
"It's Loopy... You know her?" He asked.  
  
"You mean Lupe, the leader of the Wolf Pack?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. Me and her go way back." He sighed, his grin fading slowly.  
  
"Really?"   
  
"Uh-huh. She was th'first girl I was ever really serious about... Correction, the only  
girl I was ever serious about..." Clawz said, still in his always cheerful voice, but with  
a rather lackluster enthusiasm.  
  
"Did you love her?" Shelia asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.  
  
"Love?" He asked, halfway to himself. "I really don't know. Love's a complicated thing  
y'know. I cared a lot about her, and she's a real babe and all... I wish I could have got to  
know her better before we..." He blinked, suddenly realizing who he was rambling on to. "Eh,  
nevermind, you don't want to hear about all dis..."  
  
Shelia's black-tipped ears perked up. "Sure I do!" She assured.  
  
"Well... Uh, it was kinda a fast relationship, if you know what I mean... We kinda 'got  
to know each other' before we actually got to really know each other..." He said, trying to  
water down the subject as much as possible.  
  
"Huh...?"  
  
He laughed softly. He had known that was coming. He tried to be more specific for the   
rather naive fox. "Well, uh... Let's just say this. Me and Loops, we had a... Uh... Physical  
relationship..."  
  
Shelia blinked. "Oh..." She mumbled, then blushing, "Oh!"  
  
He chuckled again. "Yeah. But it was short. I wish it could've been more than that...  
Before I could even really fall in love with her, I guess Nack hauled me off halfway across  
th'planet... And when we came back this way, well... I couldn't really face her, y'know...?"  
  
"I understand." She said softly.  
  
"And now she's gettin' married. Man, life is crazy."  
  
Shelia smiled a little. "Yeah. Crazy..."  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  



	21. Bad Luck

  
  
Chapter twenty-one: "Bad Luck"  
  
  
  
The pale mist that always hung in morning the air of the swampy forest was suddenly  
broken as a blue streak raced down the thin pathway, swerving back and forth and up and  
down to avoid the trees and other various obstacles. The morning light played through the  
drooping leaves of the foliage and created pools of light on the moist ground, giving the  
track a rather unnerving peaceful feel. The wind was blowing, a gentle breeze, but when  
you're running a top speed, the breeze became a buzz in your ears.  
  
But Sonic wasn't worried about becoming distracted by the light or wind. He was as  
confident as ever as he easily maneuvered at a sprint through the course. He was way ahead, he  
knew it, and was cruising. This was going to be an easy win.  
  
He rounded a corner and was faced a series of huge logs laid out on the ground like   
hurdles. Sonic just smiled, and ran faster, preparing to jump easily over them. He reached the   
first jump, and cleared the log with ease...  
  
...Only to fall into a six-foot pit filled with thick black mud.  
  
"What the--?!" He yelled in surprise as the swamp suddenly swallowed his legs.  
  
Panicing, he struggled and only sunk deeper. He tried to spin, but that only made  
things worse. The mud was up to his middle now. He stopped to think for a second.  
  
Suddenly his opponent, a skinny cheetah female in black running shorts, came vaulting   
over his head, her log black-tipped tail flying behind her. She continued on towards the finish,  
her spotted back to him, hopping from one log-hurdle to the other and avoiding the pits. Before   
she jumped off the last one, she turned around and blew him a kiss. Then grinning, she sped  
off again.  
  
Sonic panicked again, and squirmed in the mud to no avail. He had to get out of this  
hole fast and win this race. He couldn't lose! Not in a race! That was his specialty! Besides,  
if he lost, Sally would kill him.  
  
Ater a few more seconds, a thought came to him. A power ring! He hit himself in the head   
for not remembering it before. He had almost forgotten that he had brought one along on the  
trip. He hurriedly reached down and pulled the golden treasure from where he had hidden it  
in his sock. It expanded to it's full size at his touch as he tugged it out of the mud,   
glittering in the light that came through the trees. He grasped it tightly in his right hand  
and concentrated. The small ring began to glow, and suddenly he felt energy and power surge  
thoughout him.  
  
In a spilt second he was out of the mud and back into the race, in a golden blazing  
glory. The cheetah shrieked as he sped past, practically scaring the spots off her. He tore   
down the track, splattering mud in his wake, all the way to where everyone was gathered at the  
finish line. He came to a sliding stop as he passed the mark, and stood triumphantly in front  
of the throned queen.   
  
She just scowled down at him.  
  
The Freedom Fighters began to clebrate.  
  
The cheetah girl came trotting in after him, and fell on her knees beside him, panting   
heavily. Sonic grinned down at her. She sneered, black lips pulling back to reveal sharp,   
white incisors. He stepped back a little.  
  
The cheetah caught her breath and began to ramble in another language to her queen, and  
in between gasps for air she would turn back and point at Sonic and the dull power ring he  
still held in hand acussingly. The queen's dark scowl slowly began to turn into a smile.  
  
Sally, who was trying to congradulate Sonic from a safe distance away from the stench  
of the swamp mud, saw this change in expression of the queen and became a little worried.  
  
"Is there something wrong..." Sally began then swallowed and tried not to grimace,  
"... Your Higness?"  
  
The tigress turned to her, still smiling with satisfaction. "Oh, no. Nothing wrong.  
Just that your team has just lost to us again."  
  
Sonic, hearing this, wheeled around and gaped at her, "Say what??"  
  
The queen's smile widened at this reaction. "I so sorry." She purred, "But you are  
  
disqualified."  
  
"What?!" Sally asked, "How...?!"  
  
"No way!" Sonic yelled, shaking a fist at her, "I won fair and square!"  
  
"I think not." The tigress said evenly, standing up to her full, towering hight as if  
to seem even more impending, "You are disqualified. Because of your use of magic."  
  
"I didn't use any--" Sonic began, then stopped when Sally grabbed his arm.  
  
He turned a questioning gaze to her.  
  
She sighed, and shaking her head, pointed to the now powerless ring he still held in  
his hand. "...Magic?" She finished for him.   
  
He swallowed and continued, "But that's not... But it's... Not... Uh..."  
  
Sally sighed again.  
  
"It works in Robotrobolis." He grumbled.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  
  
  
Knuckles strode down the streets with an air of purpose. He wasn't letting the buildings  
streets and crowds get to him this time. He tried not to think of his mother. He tried not  
to think of Julie-Su. He tried no to think of Shelia. It was just too, too much for him. He  
had to get things worked out. He had to understand. The city, his mother, his father... How  
many lies had he been told? He felt angry and sad at the same time. But most of all he felt  
confused...  
  
He cleared his mind and all there was around him was trees and the quiteness of the   
forest. Only trees and nothing else... Only his objective. To do his duty. To protect this   
island and whatever or whoever was on it.   
  
He stopped suddenly, realizing that he now stood in front of a huge marble statue in the  
middle of a large, empty courtyard. There was a sidewalk path leading around the statue in a   
circle, then in a straight line to a wide, white building with stone stairs leading to the  
huge oak double doors at the entrance. But Knuckles wasn't interested in the building at the  
moment.   
  
The statue, one of it's arms been broken off in the diaster, still resembled it's   
subject: A tall, dashing male echidna holding an emerald in one hand. He looked young and   
strong and confident....  
  
What Knuckles noticed most though was that on the statue's chest was a familiar, white   
crescent mark.   
  
'A guardian...?' Knuckles thought, then his eye caught something written on the base  
of the monument.  
  
"Sir Hawking Echidna, 45th Guardian of our beloved city, genius, savior, and creator   
of the Hyperzone Protector...." Knuckles read aloud.  
  
He stared up at the statue again for a moment. Then, he carefully climbed over the   
wreckage and what was left of the statue's other arm and made his way towards the capitol   
building.  
  
He ascended the stairs and looked around. No one was in sight. It was kind of a   
disturbing contrast to the chaotic streets. Taking one last glance around he hesitantly pushed   
through the doors and into a empty, expansive fourier, with a marble floor. There was an empty   
desk in the center of the room and a doorway behind it.  
  
Seeing nothing of importance, Knuckles continued on and went through the door behind the  
desk into a long hallway.  
  
He blinked. The hall was empty too. There were dozens of doors lining the hallway leading  
to another huge set of doors at the end. Nothing else. Only green carpet and the hall.  
  
Empty.  
  
Knuckles shook away the creepy feelings and gathered his confidence. He walked down the  
hallway towards the doors at the end. Someone had to be here who could tell him what was  
going on... And if not, he'd just snoop around until he found out himself.  
  
He reached the door and pulled the knob, but it held tight. It was locked. Knuckles   
sneered. He was tired of not knowing what was going on. He wanted answers. Now.  
  
So he simply punched the door down.  
  
The door clanged loudly as it hit the metallic floor of the new room. Knuckles entered,  
feeling only half-satisfied, to find a team of echidnas in white lab coats staring at him in  
surprise.  
  
Knuckles stared back them in equal surprise.  
  
"Ever heard of knocking, boy?" A old voice asked, from behind the group of scientists.   
The group parted, and let a winkled, eldery echidna male in a wheelchair through.  
  
"Uh..." Knuckles gulped, "I'm sorry, I thought this room would be empty."  
  
The old echidna sighed. "Don't worry about it. I knew you would come like this."  
  
Knuckles stared at him. "...You did?"  
  
"Yes, of course." The old echidna replied, then turned to his assistants. "Put that  
door back up."  
  
"Yes, Sir." They echoed, and did as he commanded.  
  
Knuckles watched all this silently, his confusion mounting. He looked around the room  
and took in his surroundings quickly. There were computer screens everywhere, keyboards and  
piles of papers strewn about. In the center of the room was a pedestal, and floating above  
it was a small spherical green ball of light, surrounded by bands of metal. It was spinning,  
backwards and forwards and left and right, all at the same time, it seemed. But it looked as  
if something was wrong with it. The green light seemed to sputter and spark and then grow  
dull suddenly, then light back up again.  
  
The elderly echidna noticed Knuckles' point of interest. "Yes," He said as if answering  
the question in Knuckles' mind. "That is the Hyperzone Protector. At least part of it. The  
heart of it."  
  
Knuckles looked back at him, surprised. He stared. The old echidna stared back, over  
his small, square spectacles through tired eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" Knuckles asked finally.  
  
The old echidna smiled slightly. He pulled down his coat to reveal a white collar mark  
under his neck. "Oh?" He asked, "You don't recognize me from my statue out front?"  
  
Knuckles was frowning, and the statement took a few seconds to register in his confused  
mind. "...Hawking?" He said finally.  
  
Hawking nodded slowly.  
  
"...B-but that can't be." Knuckles said, "That would mean that you're over a hundred   
years old!"  
  
Hawking frowned. "That's correct. You do not have to rub it in. Did your father teach  
you no manners?"  
  
Knuckles took a deep breath to steady himself. He didn't mean to be rude, but he had  
to know. "...But how...?"  
  
"I was the subject of one of my own expieriments, a formula to prolong life." Hawking  
explained, still frowning, but lighter. "It was a failure."  
  
"Failure? But--" Knuckles began.  
  
Hawking cut him off, "Have you not noticed my wheelchair, boy?" He asked almost bitterly,  
"That experiement half-paralyzed me."   
  
Knuckles features softened. "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." He said softly.  
  
"I suppose you didn't." Hawking snorted, then continued in a more understanding tone,   
"That was nearly fifty years ago... I was impetuous like you once too... I should have known   
not to tamper with the essence of life..."  
  
Knuckles felt rather insulted at being called impetuous, he had simply  
thought the wheelchair was needed because of age, but let the old echidna   
have his kicks. He needed information now, and not about Hawking's   
failures...  
  
"Sir, I am Knuckles, Guardian of the Floating Island, I have come to ask of the   
earthquakes..." He began, trying to sound more polite.  
  
Hawking turned his wheelchair around and began to roll past the machinery and to a small  
set of silver doors at the far end of the room. "I know who you are and why you have come."  
He said in his deep, hard voice, his back to his descendant. "Follow me. I'll show you. Come  
on now, boy..."  
  
Knuckles, who had just been standing there watching the old echidna move away from him,  
started after him. 'Yes.' He thought, 'Show me. I want to understand.'  
  
The silver doors slid open slowly and revealed a small circular room about five feet in  
diameter. Knuckles cautiously stepped inside after Hawking, and looked around. The only thing in  
the room was a set of buttons with numbers on them in a vertical line beside the doors they came  
in through. Hawking reached over and pushed one of the buttons. The doors closed behind them   
slowly.  
  
Then everything was silent.  
  
"We're in an elevator." Hawking said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"An elevator. It will take us to another floor in the building."  
  
"...Oh." Knuckles mumbled. He found it incredibly unnerving that the elderly echidna  
seemed to be able to know what he was thinking.  
  
After a few more seconds, the doors they came in through slowly opened again. Knuckles  
followed Hawking into the new room, in awe. It was dark, the only light eminating from about  
half a dozen small round orbs connected with wires and tubes to a metallic column in the center,  
to where it ran up to the ceiling. The light from the orbs was a familiar green hue...  
  
Knuckles looked closely, and sure enough, inside was contained a pale chaos emerald.   
  
"We're underneath the main laboratory now. That column there runs up to the main  
computers." Hawking said.  
  
"The HyperZone Protector is powered by chaos emeralds, then?" Knuckles said, half to  
himself, as he walked around in a circle, inspecting each of the glass spheres and their   
precious contents. The emeralds were real, all right. But something was wrong...  
  
"Yes... This room is normally much brighter, though..." Hawking said, adjusting his   
glasses.  
  
"Something is wrong with the emeralds." Knuckles said quietly, stopping in front of  
one of the caplues and kneeling down to stare intensely at the jewel.  
  
"Yes. I know." Hawking said slowly, as he rolled his chair over beside the younger   
echidna. "They've never done this before. No one understands it. I thought perhaps you could  
explain it."  
  
Knuckles snapped out of his trance. "Me?" He asked.  
  
"Yes you, boy." Hawking answered, frowning. "You know the Master Emerald, don't you? I  
haven't seen the real thing in, well... A very long time. These smaller emeralds run off it's  
power, right?"  
  
Knuckles stared for a moment, then nodded slowly.   
  
Hawking waited. "Well..." He said, "Do you know what's wrong with them?"  
  
Knuckles sighed. "I... I'm not sure."  
  
"Not sure?!"  
  
Knuckles stood up, feeling more than a little embarassed. "Well, it's like this--" He  
began, preparing to relate his unknowing exierience with the power of the chaos emerald, but  
was interrupted as the lighting suddenly began to flicker, and finally the tiny dying emeralds  
sputtered out, leaving them in darkness.  
  
Knuckles tensed, and another earthquake came.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****  
  
  



End file.
